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Introduction: The prevalence, public health impact, and epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis E virus (HEV) are poorly understood in Brazil. Methods: Serum samples from 535 individuals from three rural Afro-descendant communities located in eastern Brazilian Amazon were collected in October 2015 and tested for presence of anti-HEV IgM and IgG antibodies. Serologically positive samples were also tested for HEV-RNA. Results: Two cases were confirmed for anti-HEV IgM (0.3 %) and two cases for anti-HEV IgG (0.3 %). No sample was positive for HEV-RNA. Conclusions: Results indicated low prevalence of HEV infection in Afro-descendant rural communities from the eastern Brazilian Amazon.

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Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a major causative agent of acute hepatitis worldwide. Although discovered in 1973, due to limitations of applicable serological and/or molecular methods, HAV remained under limited diagnosis until the late 1980s. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the serological and molecular prevalence of the HAV infection among 421 (n = 421) patients with a clinical and laboratory suspicion of acute hepatitis who were admitted in a reference laboratory in the Brazilian Eastern Amazon during 1982 and 1983. The 421 serum samples were screened for anti-HAV IgM antibodies by enzymatic immunoassays. Positive samples were submitted to total RNA purification and tested by Nested reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to amplify the HAV-RNA VP1-2A (522 bp) region. Anti-HAV IgM antibodies were detected in 66% (278/421) of the patients. The highest prevalence was observed among males (57.9%, 161/278), and most often among children under 10 years old (63.3%, 176/278). HAV-RNA was detected in 74.4% (207/ 278) of anti-HAV IgM positive samples. HAV genotyping was performed in 71 samples, and 69 were classified into subgenotype IA. Two samples belonged to the HAV subgenotype IIIA. In this sense, retrospective studies can help in understanding the evolution and determination of wild genotypes and subtypes of HAV.

The study describes the occurrence of cysticercosis in liver of 22 wild agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina) in the Brazilian Amazon. The phylogenetic analysis and microscopic characteristics of metacestodes in liver tissue sections, associated with the geographic distribution of the intermediate hosts indicated that a possibly novel Taenia sp. metacestode caused the parasitism. Additionally, two cases of hepatic co-infection by Taenia sp., Calodium sp. and Echinococcus oligarthra were also observed among the analyzed animals. The results point to the need for a better understanding of hepatotropic parasites among wild rodents in the Brazilian Amazon.

The hepatitis A virus (HAV, Hepatovirus A) in humans has a relevant impact on public health, especially in geographic regions with poor basic sanitation, such as the Brazilian Amazon. Isolates related to hepatoviruses have been described in non human primates, chiropterans, marsupials, rodents, marmots, shrews, and terrestrial hedgehogs. However, the circulation of these viruses in the Amazonian mammal fauna remains unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against this hepatovirus in captive and free-living wild mammals belonging to the orders Didelphimorphia, Primates, Carnivora, and Artiodactyla. Serum samples from 71 animals, from three municipalities in the State of Pará (Belém, Santarém, and Capitão-Poço) were tested for total anti-HAV and anti-HAV IgM through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Total anti-HAV antibodies were detected in 29.5% (21/71) of non-human primates, 8.4% (6/71) of carnivores, and 5.6% (4/71) of didelphos. All tayassuidos 0% (0/2) were seronegative. Anti-HAV IgM antibodies were not detected in any of the samples tested. The highest total anti-HAV seropositivity in the municipalities studied was in Santarém with 54.24% (12/22), followed by Capitão Poço with 50% (15/30), and then Belém with 21.05% (4/19). Among the seropositive animals, animals kept in exposure cages showed 43.9% (18/41), quarantined animals with 60% (9/15), and free-living animals with 26.6% (4/15). The serological results indicated a profile of previous exposure to hepatovirus among these animals. Therefore, additional studies to characterize HAV-related viruses in captive and free living wild animals need to be conducted to better understand the impact of the circulation of this virus on human and animal health.

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