Study on Experimental Infection of Rhesus M onkeys with Hepatitis E Virus
Abstract: Three rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) were inoculated intravenously with fecal suspensions obtained from hepatitis E patients. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level in the three monkeys elevated 3 to 4 weeks after infection. Virus like particles about 27 to 34 nm were found in the stool specimens, the liver and the gallbladder tissues by electron microscope examination. The liver tissue slice showed characteristic histopathologic changes of acute hepatitis. Specific HEV fragments were obtained by RT nPCR from feces and sera. Excretion of virus began on the 7th day and lasted to about the 50th day after infection. The appearance of virus in serum was 2 weeks after inoculation and lasted for only 1 to 2 weeks. Anti HEV IgG was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay 3-4 weeks after infection and negative conversion took place 4 to 5 months later.