Prevalence of anti‐hepatitis E virus antibodies in different Indian animal species

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Abstract
Prevalence of IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus (IgG‐anti‐HEV) was determined among different animal species from India. Seropositivity varied from 4.4% to 6.9% in cattle, 54.6–74.4% in pigs and 2.1–21.5% in rodents. Of the 44 dogs screened, 10 were positive (22.7%). None of the 250 goat sera tested were found to be anti‐HEV positive. Among rodents, over 50% serum samples collected in 1985 from Bandicota bengalensis were positive for anti‐HEV antibodies. No evidence of HEV infection was obtained following experimental inoculation of an Indian strain (AKL‐90) of HEV into anti‐HEV negative pigs and goats. The results document varied prevalence of anti‐HEV antibodies in different animal species from India and of inability of Indian pigs and goats to support replication of at least one human strain of HEV.