Markers of hepatitis E among the population of the Greater Sochi and in monkeys of the Adler primate center.

Serum from humans (n = 646) and monkeys (n = 1867) collected during the period 1999-2013 was tested by enzyme immunoassay. Anti-HEV IgG was detected significantly more frequently (P ≥ 0.001) in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) - 45.1 ± 1.6% (n = 1001) than in cynomolgus macaques (M. fascicularis) 16.2 ± 1.8% (n = 426). Single seropositive individuals were found among M. nemestrina - 4.0±2.8% (n = 50). Anti-HEV was not detected in the sera of green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) - n = 162, Papio hamadryas (n = 124), and Papio anubis - n = 104. The presence of the anti-HEV IgM indicating the cases of fresh infection in Macaca mulatta - 2.1 ± 0.5% (n = 717) and M. fascicularis - 3.5 ± 1.3% (n = 266) is of great significance. The overall frequency of detection of the anti-HEV IgG among the staff of the Adler Primate Center - 6.8 ± 2.3% (n = 118) was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.001) than among the population of the Greater Sochi - 15.9% ± 1.6 (n = 528). It is important that only in patients of medical institutions (clinic, hospital, cancer center), anti-HEV IgM were detected (2.7-11.8%) along with anti-HEV IgG (15-23.5%), thereby indicating the presence of acute cases of HEV infection among this population. HEV RNA was not detected in the serum of anti-HEV IgM-positive people and monkeys. Seroepidemiological data do not confirm the assumption on the ability of seropositive monkeys of Macaca genus to be a natural reservoir of HEV infection for humans.

[Hepatitis E virus antibodies in the macaques and in the personnel serving the macaques of the Adler apery].

There is evidence for the rather high detection rate of antibodies against hepatic E virus (HEV) was rather high in the macaques from the Adler apery in 1999-2005. Anti-HEV was detected in 232 (57.3%) out of 405 examined rhesus macaques (Macaca mulata) and in 16 (16%) out of 100 Java ones (M. fascicularis). The detection rate of anti-HEV ranged from 12.5 to 89.5%% among the rhesus macaques and from 5.9 to 37.5% among the Java ones. Class M anti-HEV was found only in 3 (4.3%) out of 69 Java macaques and in none of the rhesus ones. Of importance are the data of detection of anti-HEV in 3 (7.5%) out of 40 examined employees of the Research Institute of Medical Primatology, all 3 (18.8%) out of 10 employees looking after the monkeys that belonged to the highest-risk group. The epidemiological and epizootological aspects of this infection require further studies.