Sensitive detection of hepatitis E virus (HEV) using TaqMan RT-PCR and surveillance for HEV infection in Hokkaido, Japan

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590825
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido Institute of Public Health
• Principal Investigator: ISHIDA SETSUKO 北海道立衛生研究所, 感染症部ウイルスG, 主幹 (70414315)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YOSHIZUMI Shima 北海道立衛生研究所, 感染症センター感染症部, 主査(腸管系ウイルス) (90414317) ; GOTO Akiko 北海道立衛生研究所, 感染症センター感染症部, 研究職員 (60414322) ; NAGANO Hideki 北海道立衛生研究所, 企画総務部, 企画情報グループ主幹 (30189146)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MIYOSHI Masahiro 北海道立衛生研究所, 感染症センター感染症部, 主査(ウイルス感染症) (50414321) ; KOMAGOME Rika 北海道立衛生研究所, 感染症センター感染症部, 研究職員 (40414312)
• Research Collaborator: MATSUBAYASHI Keiji 北海道ブロック血液センター, 品質部 (90533323)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: E型肝炎ウイルス / 疫学 / 診断 / 分子疫学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A TaqMan RT-PCR was developed to detect and classify genotypes of hepatitis E virus (HEV). We analyzed a collection of serum samples previously confirmed HEV infection by RT-PCR. The TaqMan RT-PCR showed equivalent detection rates compared with the conventional RT-PCR.
The annual reported number of HEV infection in Japan increased twice as many since 2012 compared to those in 2004-2011 temporally coincident with the start of use of anti-HEV IgA assay. On the other hand the number of cases of HEV infection in Hokkaido has decreased gradually since 2013. Twelve strains from clinical samples those were collected between December in 2011 and December in 2013 in near regions in Hokkaido showed clustering with high similarity approximately 99-100% identity. In addition, these HEV strains were closely related to strains those were detected successively from patients in the same region in 2009.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学