Infectious hepatitis E virus is associated with the mature sperm head

by Kush K. Yadav, Patricia A. Boley, Thamonpan Laocharoensuk, Saroj Khatiwada, Carolyn M. Lee, Menuka Bhandari, Lindsey Moore, Juliette Hanson, Scott P. Kenney

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the leading cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. HEV associated pregnancy mortality has been reported as up to 30% in humans. Recent findings suggest HEV may elicit effects directly in the reproductive system with HEV protein found in the testis, viral RNA in semen, and viral replication occurring in placental cell types. Using a natural host model for HEV infection, pigs, we demonstrate infectious HEV within the mature spermatozoa and altered sperm viability from HEV infected pigs. HEV isolated from sperm remained infectious suggesting a potential transmission route via sexual partners. Our findings suggest that HEV should be explored as a possible sexually transmittable disease. Our findings propose that infection routes outside of oral and intravenous infection need to be considered for their potential to contribute to higher mortality in HEV infections when pregnancy is involved and in HEV disease in general.