A systematic review and meta-analysis of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in wild boars

Fanelli, A and Tizzani, P and Buonavoglia, D

Research in veterinary science (2021) 142: 54–69

DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.11.015

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis summarize the available information on Hepatitis E virus (HEV) -specific antibody seroprevalence and HEV RNA prevalence in wild boar, one of the most abundant game species worldwide. A literature search (CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus) was performed to find relevant peer-reviewed works published during the period 1990-2020. A random-effect model was carried out to calculate the pooled HEV-specific antibody seroprevalence and HEV RNA prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals, and I(2) statistic was used to assess the heterogeneity of the data. Values by subgroups were compared according to the geographical area, age class (≤ 12 months old and \textgreater 12 months old), and sample type (bile, faeces, liver, meat/muscle, serum). Sixty-nine publications were selected, with the majority of the studies from Southern Europe (n = 27). The pooled HEV-specific antibody seroprevalence in wild boar was 28% (CI(95%) 23-34) and the HEV RNA prevalence 8% (CI(95%) 6-10). The analysis highlighted a significant heterogeneity among the estimates from the included studies (I(2) = 98% and I(2) = 95% for HEV-specific antibody seroprevalence and viral prevalence respectively). The moderator analysis indicated a statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.03) for the HEV RNA prevalence according to the sample type, with the highest value in bile (17%, CI(95%) 9-27), followed by liver (10%, CI(95%) 7-14), serum (7%, CI(95%) 4-10), faeces (5%, CI(95%) 2-9), and meat/muscle (3%, CI(95%) 0.04-10). Finally, the HEV RNA prevalence in Europe (8.7, CI(95%) 6.7-11) was significantly (p-value = 0.04) higher than in Asia (4, CI(95%) 0.6-8). The analysis highlights the important role of wild boar in the epidemiology of HEV.

Citation

Fanelli, A., Tizzani, P., & Buonavoglia, D. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in wild boars. Research in Veterinary Science, 142, 54–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.11.015

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