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Zhang W, Ami Y, Suzaki Y, Doan YH, Jirintai S, Takahashi M, Okamoto H, Takeda N, Muramatsu M, Li TC. Persistent infection with a rabbit hepatitis E virus created by a reverse genetics system. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:615-625. [PMID: 32649803 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rabbit hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a novel zoonotic infectious agent. Although a cell culture system to grow the virus has been established, there is currently no reverse genetics system for generating the virus. In this study, capped genomic rabbit HEV RNAs generated by in vitro transcription were transfected into PLC/PRF/5 cells, and the recovered viruses were subsequently passaged in the cells. The cell culture supernatant was capable of infecting rabbits negative for anti-HEV antibody by intravenous and oral inoculation, indicating that rabbit HEV generated by the reverse genetics system is infectious. Genome-wide analyses indicated that no nucleotide sequence change occurred in the virus genomes that were recovered from the cell culture supernatant after transfection and passaged one time or in the virus genomes recovered from faecal specimens of the infected rabbits. Ribavirin, a broad-spectrum anti-viral inhibitor, efficiently abrogated virus replication ex vivo and transiently suppressed the virus growth in the virus-infected rabbits, suggesting that this reagent is a candidate for therapeutic treatment. In addition, transmission of rabbit HEV to rabbits caused persistent infection, suggesting that the virus-infected rabbit could be an animal model for virus-induced hepatitis. The infectious rabbit HEV produced by a reverse genetics system would be useful to elucidate the mechanisms of HEV replication and the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Zhang
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasushi Ami
- Division of Experimental Animals Research, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuriko Suzaki
- Division of Experimental Animals Research, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yen Hai Doan
- Department of Environmental Parasitology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Suljid Jirintai
- Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Shimotsuke-Shi, Japan
| | - Masaharu Takahashi
- Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Shimotsuke-Shi, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Okamoto
- Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Shimotsuke-Shi, Japan
| | - Naokazu Takeda
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Masamichi Muramatsu
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tian-Cheng Li
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
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Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been detected in rabbits, but whether rabbit HEV strains can be transmitted to humans is not known. Of 919 HEV-infected patients in France during 2015-2016, five were infected with a rabbit HEV strain. None of the patients had direct contact with rabbits, suggesting foodborne or waterborne infections.
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Liu P, Bu QN, Wang L, Han J, Du RJ, Lei YX, Ouyang YQ, Li J, Zhu YH, Lu FM, Zhuang H. Transmission of hepatitis E virus from rabbits to cynomolgus macaques. Emerg Infect Dis 2013; 19:559-65. [PMID: 23628346 PMCID: PMC3647409 DOI: 10.3201/eid1904.120827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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