PAKISTAN VETERINARY JOURNAL

Pak Vet J, 2014, 34(1): 130-132

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Four Species of Parrots in China

Xiao-Xuan Zhang^1,2, Nian-Zhang Zhang¹, Dong-Hui Zhou¹*, Wei-Peng Tian^1,3, Ying-Tian Xu¹ and Xing-Quan Zhu^1,4

¹State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; ²College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin Province 133002, People's Republic of China; ³College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150030, People's Republic of China; ⁴College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang Province 163319, People's Republic of China
*Corresponding author: zhoudonghui@caas.cn

Abstract

In this study, antibodies against avian Hepatitis E Virus (avian HEV) were detected in 6.43% of examined serum samples (n=311) from budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), lovebirds (Agapornis sp.), cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) and Alexandrine parakeets (Psittacula eupatria) by indirect ELISA. Seroprevalence of avian HEV infection in different parrot species varied from 0 to 7.92%. Statistical analysis of the origins of parrots demonstrated that parrots from Weifang city had a higher avian HEV seropositivity (7.84%) compared with parrots from Beijing city (5.06%). The seroprevalence in parrots of different age groups varied from 4 to 7.62%. The avian HEV seroprevalence in parrots examined in spring and summer was 7.19 and 5.81%, respectively. This is the first report of avian HEV seroprevalence in four species of parrots in China, which will provide base-line data for the control of HEV infection in parrots in China.

Key words: China, Hepatitis E, Hepatitis E Virus, Parrot, Prevalence

Abstract

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)
ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)