@article{
author = "Kureljušić, Branislav and Aleksić-Kovačević, Sanja and Savić, Božidar and Prodanović, Radiša and Jezdimirović, Nemanja and Milićević, Vesna and Maksimović Zorić, Jelena and Kureljušić, Jasna and Žutić, Jadranka and Knežević, Đorđe and Spalević, Ljiljana and Kukolj, Vladimir",
year = "2021",
abstract = "Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the zoonotic agent of infectious hepatitis, is present in swine farms
in different geographical areas. Little is known about the mechanism of liver damage and
type of local immune response by HEV in swine. Therefore, the aim of this study was to
determine the morphological and immunophenotypic characteristics of hepatic lesions
caused by hepatitis E virus in naturally infected swine. In this study, liver samples of 12
slaughtered 10 weeks old pigs which were RT‑PCR positive for HEV RNA in rectal swab
samples have been used. Livers were macroscopically examined and samples were taken
for histopathological, immunohistochemical (CD3, CD79α and TGF‑β1), semiquantitative,
morphometric analysis, RT‑nested‑PCR, PCR and bacteriological analysis. Microscopically,
mild and moderate multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis was observed. Apoptotic bodies
were observed as areas of focal eosinophilic condensation in the cytoplasm of 33.33% liver
samples, while in 16.67% liver samples portal fibrosis was detected. Immunohistochemically,
portal and lobular lymphocytes in the mononuclear liver infiltrate were predominantly
CD3+ T cells (234.80 ± 79.98). An intense TGF‑β1 positive reaction was observed within the
mononuclear cell infiltrate as well as polymorphonuclear cells in liver samples with apoptosis
of hepatocytes. In all 12 tested liver samples HEV RNA was detected by RT‑nested‑PCR.
HEV is noncytopathic, and this finding provides further evidence for an immune mediated
pathogenesis in hepatitis E virus infection in swine. Also, the role of CD3+ cells in hepatocyte
damage is clearly demonstrated.",
publisher = "Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ (Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise)",
journal = "Veterinaria Italiana",
title = "Morphological and immunophenotypic characteristics of the liver of swine naturally infected with hepatitis E virus",
volume = "54",
number = "7",
pages = "287-295",
doi = "10.12834/VetIt.1813.9553.3"
}