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Hepatitis E Virus in Surface Water, Sediments, and Pork Products Marketed in Southern Brazil

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Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging causative agent of food and waterborne hepatitis in human beings. HEV circulates among human populations and swine herds, and may be found in water contaminated by swine feces, as well as in pork. In the present study, 68 sediment samples and 250 water samples collected from the Sinos River tributaries, as well as 50 samples of pork products (pâté and blood sausage) marketed in the Sinos River watershed region, Brazil, were tested for the presence of HEV genome. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction followed by nucleotide sequencing was used for detection and characterization of HEV genomes. Overall, 36 % of food samples tested positive for HEV (genotype 3). No sediment or water samples were positive. These results suggest that contaminated pork products may be a source of HEV infection within this region and indicate a need for better monitoring of food safety and swine herds.

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Acknowledgments

FHH is a Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) scholarship recipient and FRS is a National Research Council (CNPq) fellow. This work was financially supported by FINEP (MAIS-AGUA); CNPq and CAPES.

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  1. Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Feevale, Prédio Vermelho 2° Andar, Sala 205 RS 239, nº 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil

    F. H. Heldt, R. Staggmeier, J. S. Gularte, M. Demoliner, A. Henzel & F. R. Spilki

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  1. F. H. Heldt
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  2. R. Staggmeier
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  3. J. S. Gularte
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  6. F. R. Spilki
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Correspondence to A. Henzel.

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Heldt, F.H., Staggmeier, R., Gularte, J.S. et al. Hepatitis E Virus in Surface Water, Sediments, and Pork Products Marketed in Southern Brazil. Food Environ Virol 8, 200–205 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-016-9243-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-016-9243-7

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