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Volume 103, Issue 11

Subclinical hepatitis E virus infection in laboratory ferrets in the UK Open Access

Abstract

Ferrets are widely used for experimental modelling of viral infections. However, background disease in ferrets could potentially confound intended experimental interpretation. Here we report the detection of a subclinical infection of ferret hepatitis E virus (FRHEV) within a colony sub-group of female laboratory ferrets that had been enrolled on an experimental viral infection study (non-hepatitis). Lymphoplasmacytic cuffing of periportal spaces was identified on histopathology but was negative for the RNA and antigens of the administered virus. Follow-up viral metagenomic analysis conducted on liver specimens revealed sequences attributed to FRHEV and these were confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Further genomic analysis revealed contiguous sequences spanning 79–95 % of the FRHEV genome and that the sequences were closely related to those reported previously in Europe. Using hybridization by RNAScope, we confirmed the presence of HEV-specific RNA in hepatocytes. The HEV open reading frame 2 (ORF2) protein was also detected by immunohistochemistry in the hepatocytes and the biliary canaliculi. In conclusion, the results of our study provide evidence of background infection with FRHEV in laboratory ferrets. As this infection can be subclinical, we recommend routine monitoring of ferret populations using virological and liver function tests to avoid incorrect causal attribution of any liver disease detected in studies.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): ferret hepatitis E virus , histopathology , immunohistochemistry , in situ hybridization and laboratory animal
Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • USZ Innovations-Pool
    • Principle Award Recipient: AchimWeber
  • Uniscientia Stiftung
    • Principle Award Recipient: AchimWeber
  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK Government (Award SE0558)
    • Principle Award Recipient: SharonM Brookes
© 2022 Crown Copyright
  • This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.
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2022-11-10
2024-04-24
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Subclinical hepatitis E virus infection in laboratory ferrets in the UK
J. Gen. Virol. 103, 001803 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001803
/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/jgv.0.001803
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