Experimental cross-species infection of donkeys with equine hepacivirus and analysis of host immune signatures.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Equine Hepacivirus (EqHV) is an equine-specific and liver-tropic virus belonging to the diverse genus of Hepaciviruses. It was recently found in a large donkey (Equus asinus) cohort with a similar seroprevalence (30%), but lower rate of RNA-positive animals (0.3%) compared to horses. These rare infection events indicate either a lack of adaptation to the new host or a predominantly acute course of infection.

Methods

In order to analyze the susceptibility and the course of EqHV infection in donkeys, we inoculated two adult female donkeys and one control horse intravenously with purified EqHV from a naturally infected horse. Liver biopsies were taken before and after inoculation to study changes in the transcriptome.

Results

Infection kinetics were simila

SUBMITTER: Gomer A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9082851 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature