Non-primate hepacivirus transmission and prevalence: Novel findings of virus circulation in horses and dogs in Morocco.

The study investigates the prevalence and distribution of Non-primate Hepacivirus (NPHV), a homolog of hepatitis C virus, in horses and dogs in Morocco. It finds evidence of NPHV infection in both species, notably higher in young horses and females. The study suggests that these animals may act as potential vectors for the transmission of this virus into human populations.

Methodology

• The researchers collected blood from 172 horses and 36 dogs from various locations in Morocco.
• They screened these samples for two regions of NPHV using nested PCR; the 5’UTR and NS3 regions.
• The screened samples were also analyzed for anti-NPHV NS3 antibody using a luciferase immunoprecipitation system to determine seroprevalence.
• Eight sequences of the NS3 region isolated from positive serum samples were chosen for further phylogenetic analysis.

Findings

• The researchers observed that horses and dogs showed NPHV RNA positivity rates of 10.5% and 5.5% respectively.
• The seroprevalence i.e., the level of a pathogen in a population, as measured in blood serum, was 65.7% in horses and 8.33% in dogs.
• In terms of age susceptibility, juvenile horses were more prominently infected, with a 23.5% NPHV RNA positivity.
• Female horses, referred to as mares, showed a higher prevalence than male horses or stallions (77.14% vs 46.27%, p < 0.0001).
• From the phylogenetic analysis, the research found that NPHV NS3 genes isolated from horses and dogs were clustered together, implying a common source or transmission route.
• The strains of NPHV detected in this study did not correlate with different geographic locations within Morocco.

Conclusions

• The observation of NPHV infection in both horses and dogs indicates that the virus is prevalent in these species within Morocco. This finding is of significance as the study is the first to investigate the prevalence of NPHV in North Africa.
• The higher prevalence of infection in young horses and female horses points towards these groups being more susceptible to NPHV infection.
• The similar genetic clustering of the NPHV found in horses and dogs suggests the virus’s capacity to cross species barriers.
• Given the commonalities in the genetic makeup between NPHV and the human hepatitis C virus, this research proposes that horses and dogs could potentially serve as vectors transferring such viruses into the human population.