Prevalence of hepatitis E virus in Chinese blood donors.

A point prevalence study of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in Chinese blood donors was conducted, and the prevalences of antibodies against HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM among Chinese blood donors were 32.60% and 0.94%, respectively.

[The preliminary analysis of the recognition epitopes of anti-HEV monoclonal antibodies on HEV ORF2].

Western blot, capture-PCR, blocking ELISA and synthetic polypeptides were used to systematically study the recognition epitopes on HEV ORF2 of 23 anti-HEV monoclonal antibodies(McAbs) which were previously generated in our laboratory directed against HEV ORF2. Results showed that seven McAbs recognized linear epitopes that located at aa408-458 of HEV ORF2 and 16 conformation-dependent McAbs, most of which recognized the surface epitopes of native HEV, located at aa459-606 of HEV ORF2. The systematical study of the recognition epitopes of anti-HEV McAbs on HEV ORF2 provides important information for the investigation of virus receptor and HEV infection mechanism, as well as its vaccine and diagnostics development.

Evaluation of two anti-hepatitis E virus IgM kits.

Objective: To evaluate two commercial anti-hepatitis E virus (HEV) IgM kits used for differential diagnosis of acute enteric viral hepatitis.

Methods: The kit for IgM capture assay, was produced with a recombinant HEV structural protein protecting primates against experimental infection by different HEV genotypes, while the other kit for indirect ELISA was produced with recombinant structural proteins from different HEV genotypes. The serum specimens were taken from 241 cases with a confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of hepatitis A and 74 cases with a confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of hepatitis E.

[The molecular differences between genotype 1 and genotype 4 of HEV in their neutralization region].

HEV is classified into H (human) group and Z (zoonosis) group according to its compatible host. H group contains genotype 1 and genotype 2 HEV isolates which infect human only; Z group contains genotype 3 and genotype 4 HEV isolates which infect both human and animals. After analysis of amino acid sequences between ORF2 aa368 and aa606, four group-conserved sites that were all located in the neutralization region of ORF2 were identified.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus infection, rural southern People's Republic of China.

Genotype 4 hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the dominant cause of hepatitis E in the People's Republic of China; swine are the principal reservoir. Our study was conducted in 8 rural communities of southern China, where families keep pigs near their homes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 23 of 24 concurrent virus isolates from this region are genotype 4 strains.