High Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus Infection Among East Balkan Swine (Sus scrofa) in Bulgaria: Preliminary Results

Autor: Ilia Tsachev, Magdalena Baymakova, Roman Pepovich, Nadezhda Palova, Plamen Marutsov, Krasimira Gospodinova, Todor Kundurzhiev, Massimo Ciccozzi
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Pathogens, Vol 9, Iss 11, p 911 (2020)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2076-0817
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110911
Popis: The East Balkan swine (Sus scrofa) is the only aboriginal pig breed in Bulgaria, and it is indigenous to the eastern part of the country. The aim of the present study was to investigate East Balkan swine (EBS) in Bulgaria for serological evidence of hepatitis E virus (HEV). Sera from 171 swine from two parts of the country (northeastern and southeastern) were tested for anti-HEV IgG antibodies. The overall HEV seroprevalence was 82.5% (141/171), and for weaners it was 77.2% (44/57), for fattening pigs 79.0% (45/57), and for adults 91.2% (52/57). HEV positivity was higher in fattening pigs and adults compared to weaners: OR = 1.108 (95% CI: 0.456–2.692) and OR = 3.073 (95% CI: 1.016–9.294), respectively. This study provides the first evidence of exposure to HEV in EBS from Bulgaria.
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