Rescue of a genotype 4 human hepatitis E virus from cloned cDNA and characterization of intergenotypic chimeric viruses in cultured human liver cells and in pigs.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important but extremely understudied human pathogen. Genotypes 1 and 2 are restricted to humans, whereas genotypes 3 and 4 are zoonotic, infecting both humans and pigs. This report describes, for the first time, the successful rescue of infectious HEV in vitro and in vivo from cloned cDNA of a genotype 4 human HEV (strain TW6196E). The complete genomic sequence of the TW6196E virus was determined and a full-length cDNA clone (pHEV-4TW) was assembled. Capped RNA transcripts from the pHEV-4TW clone were replication competent in Huh7 cells and infectious in HepG2/C3A cells. Pigs inoculated intrahepatically with capped RNA transcripts from pHEV-4TW developed an active infection, as evidenced by faecal virus shedding and seroconversion, indicating the successful re

SUBMITTER: Cordoba L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3541786 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature