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No Evidence of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Farmed Deer in Germany

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Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic agent, which is mainly transmitted by consumption of undercooked meat products originating from infected animals. Domestic pigs and wild boars are the major animal reservoirs, but HEV infections have been also repeatedly described in wild deer species. However, farmed deer has been only sparsely investigated so far. Here, 108 blood and 106 liver samples from fallow deer, red deer, and sika deer strictly hold in game enclosures from 11 farms in Germany were analyzed for markers of HEV infection. Using a commercial double antigen sandwich ELISA, 3/108 (2.7%) serum samples were scored borderline for HEV-specific antibodies, whereas the remaining samples were negative. No HEV-RNA (0%) was detected in the 106 liver samples. The results suggest a low risk of HEV infection in farmed deer in Germany.

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Acknowledgements

We like to thank the deer farmers for cooperation during sampling, PD Dr. Ulrich Methner (Friedich Loeffler Institut, Jena, Germany) for preparation of sera, and Anja Schlosser and Stephanie Prosetzky (BfR, Berlin, Germany) for excellent technical assistance in laboratory analyses. The Free State of Thuringia supported the samplings financially. The laboratory analysis of samples was financially supported by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)-Center for Land Use Related Evaluation Methods and One Health Approaches.

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  1. German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany

    Eva Trojnar & Reimar Johne

  2. Thuringian State Office for Agriculture and Rural Area, Naumburger Straße 98, 07743, Jena, Germany

    Bernd Kästner

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  1. Eva Trojnar
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  2. Bernd Kästner
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Correspondence to Reimar Johne.

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Trojnar, E., Kästner, B. & Johne, R. No Evidence of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Farmed Deer in Germany. Food Environ Virol 12, 81–83 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-019-09407-y

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