Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Hepatitis E virus in pigs in Bac Giang and Nghe An provinces

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes a dangerous zoonotic hepatitis and distributes in the worldwide. The main objectives of this study aimed at improving the understanding and awareness on HEV for the people, especially the pig farmers and the people who work in the pig slaughterhouse, because they are the high-risk people groups with HEV infection. A total of 252 pig fecal samples were collected from November to December 2019, in 4 villages in Nghe An and Bac Giang provinces as the materials for this study. The studied result showed that the prevalence of HEV in pigs in Nghe An province was 3.85% and in Bac Giang province was 0.82%. The results of the study also provided an overview of the HEV transmission pathway among the animal species as well as among the countries. The result of analyzing phylogenetic showed that HEV circulating in two provinces belonged to sub-genotype 3a, which caused zoonotic hepatitis. The investigation on the ways of HEV transmission, as well as the habits and living customs of the people in some underdeveloped mountainous and rural areas would help to develop the preventive measures and to control the spread of HEV