Detecção do vírus da hepatite E (genótipo 3) em suínos provenientes de criatórios de subsistência no estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil

Abstract

Hepatitis E is a zoonotic disease, now recognized as an important global public health concern. In this study, molecular detection of the ORF2 and ORF1 genomic regions of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) was carried out in fecal and serum samples from pigs in subsistence farms in municipalities of the Baixada Cuiabana region of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Fragments of the ORF2 region were amplified in 8% fecal samples (12/150), totaling 53.3% positive farms (8/15). Of the 12 positive samples, fragments of the ORF1 region were amplified in 4 (33.3%) samples. Molecular characterization confirmed the phylogenetic grouping of the sequences obtained as HEV subtypes 3d, 3h, and 3i. The results of this study revealed that producers use meat from pigs not only for personal consumption but also to trade in restaurants and marketplaces in metropolitan Cuiabá, thereby creating a source of transmission to consumers of pork meat from subsistence farms in Baixada Cuiabana. The role of swine and the environmental conditions must be taken into account when investigating the presence and transmission of HEV, to understand the epidemiology of hepatitis E disease.