Hepatitis E Seroprevalence and Detection of Genotype 3 Strains in Domestic Pigs from Sierra Leone Collected in 2016 and 2017.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the main cause of acute hepatitis in humans worldwide and is responsible for a large number of outbreaks especially in Africa. Human infections are mainly caused by genotypes 1 and 2 of the genus , which are exclusively associated with humans. In contrast, viruses of genotypes 3 and 4 are zoonotic and have their main reservoir in domestic and wild pigs, from which they can be transmitted to humans primarily through the consumption of meat products.

Ebola Virus Neutralizing Antibodies in Dogs from Sierra Leone, 2017.

Ebola virus (EBOV) is a highly pathogenic zoonotic virus for which the reservoir host has not been identified. To study the role of dogs as potential hosts, we screened 300 serum samples from dogs in Sierra Leone and found EBOV neutralizing antibodies in 12, suggesting their susceptibility to natural infection.

Serological Evidence for the Circulation of Ebolaviruses in Pigs From Sierra Leone.

Many human ebolavirus outbreaks have been linked to contact with wildlife including nonhuman primates and bats, which are assumed to serve as host species. However, it is largely unknown to what extent other animal species, particularly livestock, are involved in the transmission cycle or act as additional hosts for filoviruses. Pigs were identified as a susceptible host for Reston virus with subsequent transmission to humans reported in the Philippines.