OmniVira

Literature detail

Transmission of hepatitis E virus from rabbits to cynomolgus macaques.

Peng Liu1 Qiu-Ning Bu Ling Wang Jian Han Ren-Jie Du Ya-Xin Lei Yu-Qing Ouyang Jie Li Yong-Hong Zhu Feng-Min Lu Hui Zhuang
Affiliations 1 institutions
  1. Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.
PMID 23628346 2013 Emerg Infect Dis eng ppublish
PubMed DOI Browse context

Article

Publication summary

The recent discovery of hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains in rabbits in the People's Republic of China and the United States revealed that rabbits are another noteworthy reservoir of HEV. However, whether HEV from rabbits can infect humans is unclear. To study the zoonotic potential for and pathogenesis of rabbit HEV, we infected 2 cynomolgus macaques and 2 rabbits with an HEV strain from rabbits in China. Typical hepatitis developed in both monkeys; they exhibited elevated liver enzymes, viremia, virus shedding in fecal specimens, and seroconversion. Comparison of the complete genome sequence of HEV passed in the macaques with that of the inoculum showed 99.8% nucleotide identity. Rabbit HEV RNA (positive- and negative-stranded) was detectable in various tissues from the experimentally infected rabbits, indicating that extrahepatic replication may be common. Thus, HEV is transmissible from rabbits to cynomolgus macaques, which suggests that rabbits may be a new source of human HEV infection.

cross-species transmission Cynomolgus macaques extrahepatic replication, viruses rabbit hepatitis E virus zoonoses Animals Antibodies, Viral Disease Reservoirs Hepatitis E Hepatitis E virus Humans Macaca fascicularis Male Rabbits RNA, Viral Virus Replication

Structured evidence records

Evidence records

5 total
Host Range Experiment 2 records
Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 0.98
Key finding

Rabbit-derived hepatitis E virus experimentally infected cynomolgus macaques, causing hepatitis and demonstrating cross-species viral replication.

Virus
HEV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

We infected 2 cynomolgus macaques and 2 rabbits with an HEV strain from rabbits in China. Typical hepatitis developed in both monkeys; they exhibited elevated liver enzymes, viremia, virus shedding in fecal specimens, and seroconversion.

Method
experimental infection
Sample type
fecal specimens; tissues
Experimental system
in vivo animal experiment
Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 0.98
Key finding

Experimental infection of rabbits with rabbit HEV showed viral replication beyond the liver, indicating extrahepatic tropism.

Virus
HEV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Rabbit HEV RNA (positive- and negative-stranded) was detectable in various tissues from the experimentally infected rabbits, indicating that extrahepatic replication may be common.

Method
experimental infection; virus replication assay
Sample type
tissues
Experimental system
in vivo animal experiment
Cross Species Transmission 1 records
Cross Species Transmission Extraction confidence 1.00
Key finding

Hepatitis E virus originating from rabbits was experimentally transmitted to cynomolgus macaques, confirming animal-to-animal cross-species transmission.

Virus
HEV
Location
China China
Supporting text

We infected 2 cynomolgus macaques and 2 rabbits with an HEV strain from rabbits in China. Typical hepatitis developed in both monkeys. Thus, HEV is transmissible from rabbits to cynomolgus macaques.

Method
experimental infection; genome sequencing
Study design
animal experiment
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
China
Country inferred
China
Reservoir Ecology 1 records
Reservoir Ecology Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

Rabbits are identified as a natural reservoir host for hepatitis E virus based on detection of rabbit HEV strains in wild and domestic rabbits.

Virus
HEV
Location
United States China
Supporting text

The recent discovery of hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains in rabbits in the People's Republic of China and the United States revealed that rabbits are another noteworthy reservoir of HEV.

Geographic raw
People's Republic of China and the United States
Serological Evidence 1 records
Serological Evidence Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

Cynomolgus macaques infected with rabbit hepatitis E virus showed seroconversion, confirming active infection and cross-species transmissibility.

Virus
HEV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Typical hepatitis developed in both monkeys; they exhibited elevated liver enzymes, viremia, virus shedding in fecal specimens, and seroconversion.

Sample type
blood; serum