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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

A Cell Culture Model for Producing High Titer Hepatitis E Virus Stocks
Published on: June 26, 2020
[Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis E virus in Hungary: endemic, food-borne zoonosis]
Gábor Reuter1, Domonka Fodor, Petra Forgách
1Gastroenteralis Vírusok Nemzeti Referencia Laboratóriuma, ANTSZ Dél-dunántúli Regionális Intézete Regionális Virológiai Laboratórium Pécs Szabadság u. 7. 7623. reuter.gabor@baranya.antsz.hu
Unlabelled:
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of a common cause of acute, fecally transmitted hepatitis in developing countries. Identification of HEV in indigenous human infection and in domestic pig raises the possibility that HEV infection is also a zoonosis.
Aim/Methods:
Molecular detection and epidemiology of HEV in humans with acute hepatitis and in domestic (pig, cattle) and wild (boar and roe-deer) animals by ELISA and RT-PCR in Hungary.
Results:
Between 2001 and 2006, a total of 116 (9.6%) human sera were positive by HEV IgM ELISA and 13 (24.5%) of 53 samples were also confirmed by RT-PCR and sequencing. Forty-two, 11 and 9 samples were RT-PCR-positive from swine (feces: 22.7%; liver: 30.8%), roe-deer (liver: 34.4%) and wild boar (liver: 12.2%), respectively. Except for an imported infection caused by genotype 1, 19 sequences (human: 12, swine: 4, roe-deer: 1, wild boar: 2) belong to genotype 3 HEV. Genetically identical strains were detected in human and roe-deer and in 2 other human clusters.
Conclusions:
HEV is an endemic agent in Hungary. Consumption of raw or undercooked meat-products is one of the possible sources of the indigenous HEV infections. Cross-species infection with genotype 3 HEV involves a food-borne transmission route in Hungary.
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