| Hepatitis E (HE) is an acute viral hepatitis caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV), which is harmful tohuman health. Hepatitis E virus has been confirmed to be widely distributed in human and animals. Chinawas reported that the epidemic of HE. The largest prevalence of human HE in Xinjiang was occurred in the1980s, and the outbreak occurred mainly in the southern border areas where ethnic minorities areconcentrated. Cattle and Sheep of Hepatitis E were seldom reported in Xinjiang. In order to udnerstand theHEV prevalence of domestic animals in Xinjiang region in this study. Detection of HEV antigen in liverwas carried out using immunohistochemical method in215cattle and258sheep slaughtered from sixcounties or cities in Xinjiang. The results were analyzed statistically. The results showed that the infectionrate of HEV was20.00%and14.73%in cattle and sheep, respectively. In cattle, the highest infection ratewas28.33%in Turpan, while the lowest was8.00%in Shawan County, and the antibody-positive ratebetween different regions was significantly different (p <0.05). The HEV infection rate in more than3-year-old cattle was higher than that in less than3-year-old cattle. The infection rate of different varietieswas between15.71%and18.00%. Cow infection rate was higher than the Bulls. In sheep, the highestinfection rate was17.14%in Turpan, while the lowest was12.00%in Miquan, and the antibody-positiverate between different regions was not significant (p>0.05). The HEV infection rate in more than3-year-old sheep was higher than that in less than2-year-old sheep. HEV infection rate of1-year-old sheepliver and other age of sheep liver HEV infection were significantly different (p <0.05), and the female washigher than the male. Liver samples from150of cattle and120of sheep were collected from slaughterproduction line. The liver samples were histopathologically sectioned and stained by hematoxylin-eosinfor microscopic observations. The results showed that the liver of52.0%of cattle and42.7%of sheeppresented lymphocytes and inflammatory cell infiltration, degeneration and necrosis of liver cells, hepaticlobule peripheral band of degeneration and necrosis, the portal area bile duct hyperplasia, liver cell atrophy,fibrous connective tissue hyperplasia bile duct hyperplasia obvious lymphocyte infiltration around thecentral vein, sinusoidal hemorrhage, edema, hepatic lobule hepatic sinusoidal varying degrees ofpathological changes. This study indicates that HEV antigen is present in the slaughtered cattle and sheepliver in Xinjiang region. The test results was coincide to that Turpan regions was the epidemic affected areaof human HE. HEV infection rate of the cattle and sheep was growth with age，different varieties of cattle,sheep are susceptible HEV and infection rates of female cattle, sheep are higher than male in Xinjiang. |
