Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis E virus in Hong Kong

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the major causes of acute and self-limiting hepatitis in human. In Hong Kong, the number of notifications increased from 26 to 62 from year 2001 to 2007. This study describes the molecular epidemiology of HEV in Hong Kong in order to determine the movement and distribution of HEV. HEV in 171 serum samples from HEV IgM positive cases from year 2001 to 2007 were amplified using RT-PCR and subjected to nucleotide sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis showed 162 of 171 HEV detected cases (94.7%) belonged to genotype IV and 8 (4.7%) to genotype I. Interestingly, a cluster of 10 cases in year 2007 that had the same sequence of HEV was identified. Epidemiological data however did not detect any relationship between these cases. Since zoonotic transmission is a well known route of HEV infection, close monitoring of the circulating HEV strains in human and food source animals may help to provide additional information on the transmission of HEV and possible source of infection in Hong Kong.

A systematic review/meta-analysis of primary research investigating swine, pork or pork products as a source of zoonotic hepatitis E virus

“…5% to 4 %, with fulminate hepatitis occurring most frequently in women during pregnancy [4]. These cases are typically observed in older men [9,10] in contrast to waterborne outbreaks, which tend to affect younger adults aged between 15 and 40 years. These cases are typically observed in older men [9,10] in contrast to waterborne outbreaks, which tend to affect younger adults aged between 15 and 40 years.…”

“…Over the past 10 years, sporadic locally acquired cases of hepatitis E have been reported in individuals living in non-endemic areas, and without history of recent travel to endemic regions [5–8]. These cases are typically observed in older men [9, 10] in contrast to waterborne outbreaks, which tend to affect younger adults aged between 15 and 40 years. Recent surveys conducted in North America report HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) seroprevalence in adults ranging from 2·4% to 21% [11, 12] while the diagnosis of locally acquired clinical hepatitis E cases remains rare [5].…”

Molecular Epidemiology and Strain Comparison between Hepatitis E Viruses in Human Sera and Pig Livers during 2014 to 2016 in Hong Kong

“…In Hong Kong, hepatitis E is a notifiable disease, and the number of cases has been on an upward trend since 2001 (15). An earlier study conducted by the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety reported HEV in local and imported fresh liver of pigs aged Ͻ4 months collected in slaughterhouses (16).…”

Acute hepatitis E virus infection causing acute liver failure requiring living‐donor liver transplantation in a non‐pregnant immunocompetent woman

“…HEV genotypes 3 and 4 have been recovered from humans, pigs, and deer . Genotype 3 is the second most common genotype for hepatitis E in HK, following genotype 4, which constitutes >94% …”