Liver Transudate, a Potential Alternative to Detect Anti-Hepatitis E Virus Antibodies in Pigs and Wild Boars (Sus scrofa)

In recent years, cases of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection have increased in Europe in association with the consumption of contaminated food, mainly from pork products but also from wild boars. The animal’s serum is usually tested for the presence of anti-HEV antibodies and viral RNA but, in many cases such as during hunting, an adequate serum sample cannot be obtained. In the present study, liver transudate was evaluated as an alternative matrix to serum for HEV detection. A total of 125 sera and liver transudates were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at different dilutions (1:2, 1:10, 1:20), while 58 samples of serum and liver transudate were checked for the presence of HEV RNA by RT-qPCR. Anti- HEV antibodies were detected by ELISA in 68.0% of the serum samples, and in 61.6% of the undiluted transudate, and in 70.4%, 56.8%, and 44.8% of 1:2, 1:10, or 1:20 diluted transudate, respectively. The best results were obtained for the liver transudate at 1:10 dilution, based on the Kappa statistic (0.630) and intraclass correlation coefficient (0.841). HEV RNA was detected by RT-qPCR in 22.4% of the serum samples and 6.9% of the transudate samples, all samples used for RT-qPCR were positive by ELISA. Our results indicate that liver transudate may be an alternative matrix to serum for the detection of anti-HEV antibodies

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

El virus de la Hepatitis E: un patógeno zoonósico emergente en Europa

El virus de la hepatitis E (VHE) es considerado como el agente principal de hepatitis viral aguda epidémica en países en vías de desarrollo (se estima que se producen cada año alrededor de 20 millones de infecciones por el VHE en todo el mundo), mientras que en países desarrollados se dan casos principalmente esporádicos relacionados, en la mayoría de los casos, con los animales, considerándose actualmente la hepatitis E una zoonosis emergente. Existen cuatro genotipos principales del VHE (de un total de 8) que muestran características epidemiológicas y clínicas diferenciadas. El VHE se transmite a menudo a través del consumo de alimentos tanto de origen animal como vegetal y agua, existiendo factores medioambientales implicados en el ciclo de transmisión de este virus. El peligro real de la infección por el VHE y de la enfermedad originada dependerá no solo del genotipo del virus, si no, también, de los diversos escenarios ambientales en las zonas de elevada prevalencia del virus, las condiciones de salubridad e higiene, el tipo de alimento consumido y las costumbres sociales asociadas al consumo de los mismos, además de factores profesionales. El desarrollo de estrategias precisas de prevención y control de la infección por VHE debe basarse en avances en el conocimiento de la etiología, la epidemiología y los métodos de control del mismo