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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2005, p. 7831-7837, Vol. 71, No. 12
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.12.7831-7837.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Infectious Swine Hepatitis E Virus Is Present in Pig Manure Storage Facilities on United States Farms, but Evidence of Water Contamination Is Lacking

C. Kasorndorkbua,1,2 T. Opriessnig,1 F. F. Huang,3 D. K. Guenette,3 P. J. Thomas,1 X.-J. Meng,3 and P. G. Halbur1*

Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011,1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand,2 Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 240613

Received 7 December 2004/ Accepted 10 August 2005

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 103 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 orally (n = 3) with the L19 or P12 manure slurry. Four pigs inoculated intravenously with prototype swine HEV served as positive controls. All positive-control pigs shed HEV in feces and 3 of 4 developed anti-HEV antibodies. Two pigs in the intravenously inoculated P12 group shed HEV in feces, and one of the pigs seroconverted to anti-HEV antibodies. None of the pigs in the negative-control, L19 oral, L19 intravenous, or P12 oral group shed HEV in feces. The findings indicate that HEV found in pig manure slurry was infectious when inoculated intravenously. Pit manure slurry is a potential source of HEV infection and for contamination of the environment. Contamination of drinking or surface water with HEV was not found on or near the pig farms.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011. Phone: (515) 294-1173. Fax: (515) 294-1072. E-mail: pghalbur{at}iastate.edu.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2005, p. 7831-7837, Vol. 71, No. 12
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.12.7831-7837.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • McCreary, C., Martelli, F., Grierson, S., Ostanello, F., Nevel, A., Banks, M. (2008). Excretion of hepatitis E virus by pigs of different ages and its presence in slurry stores in the United Kingdom. Vet Rec. 163: 261-265 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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