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An Evaluation of Hepatitis E Virus Molecular Typing Methods
Sally A Baylis1, Cornelia Adlhoch2, Liam Childs3
1Viral Safety Section, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany.
Clinical Chemistry
|December 30, 2021
Summary
Molecular typing of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains is crucial for understanding transmission. A study found most labs correctly identified HEV genotypes and subtypes, but some issues with contamination and sequence generation were noted.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Epidemiology
Background:
- Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a significant cause of acute viral hepatitis globally.
- Accurate molecular typing of HEV strains is vital for tracking transmission routes and identifying outbreaks.
- Understanding HEV subtypes is essential for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the performance of laboratories in molecular typing of HEV.
- To evaluate the accuracy of genotype and subtype determination for HEV strains.
- To identify challenges and areas for improvement in HEV molecular epidemiology.
Main Methods:
- A blinded panel of 11 distinct Orthohepevirus A strains was distributed to 28 participating laboratories.
- Laboratories employed their standard HEV sequencing and genotyping methodologies.
- Analysis focused on sequence data generated from routine laboratory procedures.
Main Results:
- 25 laboratories returned results, with 93% correctly assigning genotypes and 81% correctly assigning subtypes.
- Good agreement was observed for overlapping sequence fragments, but some incorrect genotypes/subtypes were reported.
- Contamination issues were identified, including misidentification of a Zika virus sample as HEV.
Conclusions:
- Laboratory identification of HEV genotypes was generally accurate.
- Challenges remain, including occasional failures in sequence generation and the need for harmonization of typing resources.
- Improving laboratory capacity and standardization is necessary for reliable HEV molecular epidemiology.
