Med. Weter. 75 (9), 534-538, 2019
full text
JOANNA NERC, PIOTR SZELESZCZUK |
Classification, structure and molecular diagnostics
of avian hepatitis E virus |
Pathological syndromes caused by avian hepatitis E virus have been described as big liver and spleen disease;
necrotic haemorrhagic hepatitis-splenomegaly syndrome; necrotic, haemorrhagic, hepatomegalic hepatitis;
or hepatitis-liver haemorrhage syndrome. The aetiological factor of this syndrome belongs to the Hepeviridae
family. Avian hepatitis E virus is a single-strand RNA virus whose genome consists of approx. 7,200 base pairs
and contains a short non-coding 5’ terminus (27-35 nucleotides) followed by three partially overlapping open
reading frames: ORF1, ORF3 and ORF2. Since the avian strains of hepatitis viruses do not replicate in cell
cultures, molecular biology techniques are used in the diagnosis of infections. This article discusses in detail
the structure and function of each ORF of avian hepatitis E virus, as well as methods for the identification of
the genetic material of this pathogen. |
Keywords: avian hepatitis E virus taxonomy, structure, molecular diagnostics |