[en] Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of hepatitis E disease in humans. While sporadic HEV infections, which occur in industrialised countries and are typically due to HEV genotypes 3 or 4, are asymptomatic and self-limiting, a chronic form of the disease can lead to liver cirrhosis in immunocompromised individuals. Pigs share HEV 3 and 4 genotypes and are thus considered a major animal reservoir for human infection. A subset of animals has been shown to carry HEV particles at the age of slaughter, rendering raw or undercooked pig products potential vectors for human infection. To provide an overview of the current dissemination of HEV in Belgian pig herds, this study was designed as a randomized, robust, large-scale, cross-sectional, serological survey. HEV genotypes and subtypes recently circulating in Belgium (2020-2021) were investigated. Sample stratification as well as epidemiological investigation through the available demographic data of the sampled herds showed that HEV widely circulated in the Belgian pig population during this time and that a change in the circulating HEV strains may have occurred in the last decade. Herd size and type were identified as risk factors for HEV herd-seropositivity. Identifying farms at risk of being HEV-positive is an important step in controlling HEV spread and human infection.
Disciplines :
Veterinary medicine & animal health
Author, co-author :
Wielick, Constance ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health (FARAH) > FARAH: Santé publique vétérinaire
Ludwig-Begall, Louisa ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health (FARAH) > FARAH: Santé publique vétérinaire
Faes, Christel ; Center for Statistics, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium
Ribbens, Stefaan ; Animal Health Service Flanders (DGZ Vlaanderen), 8820 Torhout, Belgium
Saegerman, Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI) > Epidémiologie et analyse des risques appliqués aux sciences vétérinaires
Thiry, Etienne ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI)
Language :
English
Title :
A Randomized Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Serological Survey of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Belgian Pig Farms.
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