Infectious swine hepatitis E virus is present in pig manure storage facilities on United States farms, but evidence of water contamination is lacking.

ABSTRACT: Fresh feces, manure slurry (from earthen lagoons and/or concrete pits), and drinking and surface water samples were collected from 28 pig farms in the Midwestern United States. All samples were tested for hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA by reverse transcription-PCR. Seven of 28 farms had fecal samples that contained HEV. Of 22 farms where pit samples were accessible, 15 contained HEV, and of 8 farms that had lagoons, 3 contained HEV. The highest virus titers were 10 and 10(3) genome equivalents per 60 ml of manure slurry in lagoon and pit samples, respectively. None of the water samples tested HEV positive. To determine the infectivity of the HEV found in the positive farm 19 lagoon (designated L19) or farm 12 pit (designated P12) samples, pigs were inoculated either intravenously (n = 3) or o

SUBMITTER: Kasorndorkbua C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1317480 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature