Detection and Localization of Rabbit Hepatitis E Virus and Antigen in Systemic Tissues from Experimentally Intraperitoneally Infected Rabbits

Abstract

Rabbit hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a novel genotype of HEV, and is considered to pose a risk of zoonotic transmission. Research into the systemic distribution of rabbit HEV in rabbits during different periods of infection has rarely been reported. To better understand this virus, we infected rabbits with second-passage rabbit HEV via an intraperitoneal route. After inoculation, the infection showed two types, temporary and constant infection. The detection of HEV RNA in the feces varied with time, and serum antigen correlated with fecal HEV RNA. Viremia only appeared 72 days after inoculation. The rabbits remained antibody negative throughout the experimental period. When HEV was localized, several organs besides the liver were HEV RNA positive. Tissue antigen was observed immunohistochemically in the different cells of various organs, especially in parts of the small intestine and the characteristic rabbit gut-associated lymphoid tissue. These data provide valuable information for future research into the pathogenesis of HEV.

Effect of swine hepatitis E virus on the livers of experimentally infected Mongolian gerbils by swine hepatitis E virus

“…Although no clinical signs were observed, the liver-to-body weight ratios of inoculated gerbils were greater than those of control group. The liver enzyme levels in the experimental group were significantly higher than in the negative control group, which is consistent with previous reports (Kabrane-Lazizi et al, 1999;Huang et al, 2009;Li et al, 2009;Kasorndorkbua et al, 2003;Mao et al, 2014).…”

“…Immunohistochemistry and Western-blotting results have shown that HEV antigen is expressed in the liver and demonstrated that one of the target tissues of HEV is the liver (Mao et al, 2014). The finding that HEV RNA replication in the liver is consistent with HEV ORF3 antigen expression by Western-blotting is evidence of HEV replication and HEV antigen expression in the livers of Mongolian gerbils (Williams et al, 2001).…”

Hepatitis E in Developed Countries: Current Status and Future Perspectives

“…Several other animal models including pigs, rabbits, rodents and chickens that are naturally infected with particular HEV genotypes have recently been established for the study of various aspects of HEV infection [19]. For example, pigs and rabbits were used to demonstrate the existence of extrahepatic sites of replication by immunohistochemistry and detection of negative strand of HEV RNA [21,22]. The presence of residual infectious virus particles in food products after heat treatments was assessed using an in vivo experimental model in pigs [23].…”

Hepatitis E Virus

“…In various publications, the applicability of antigen detection systems for the detection of viraemic patients and blood donors as well as for the follow-up of infections of experimental animals were investigated [164,165,166,167,168]. A relatively good correlation between the results of antigen detection systems and the NAT results were observed in hepatitis cases in India [164,167].…”