- From ProMED-mail Source: Mainichi Shimbun - Japan Aug
9 2003 [edited]
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- Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genome sequences has been detected
in pork livers sold at supermarkets, a team led by a medical university
professor has found. Professor Hiroaki Okamoto of Jichi Medical School
in Tochigi Prefecture will report these findings in a British medical journal.
However, he said the chance of infection with HEV from pork livers is slim.
"You can't get infected with HEV from eating pork flesh. And you don't
have to worry about pork livers if you sufficiently heat them up before
eating."
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- In his research, Professor Okamoto purchased 363 packs
of pork livers at supermarkets in Hokkaido and detected HEV genome sequences
in 7, or 1.9 per cent of them. The sequence found in 3 of the 7 samples
is identical to that of the HEV virus found in a Japanese HEV patient.
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- Nine out of 10 HEV patients who developed illness in
Hokkaido between 2001 and 2002 had eaten pork livers, according to Okamoto.
Pork liver sashimi is considered a delicacy in Japan, although many people,
especially women, find it revolting.
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- http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20030809p2a00m0dm024000c.html
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- -- ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
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- [It is likely that farmed pigs as well as wild-living
pigs may harbour hepatitis E virus. Transmission of hepatitis E virus infection
from wild pigs to human has been a consequence of consumption of uncooked
meat, and the same risk applies apparently to meat from farmed pigs. The
low frequency of detection of hepatitis E virus sequences in meat purchased
in supermarkets, however, could be explained also by contamination of the
pig meat from a human source during its preparation for sale. - Mod.CP]
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- Patricia A. Doyle, PhD Please visit my "Emerging
Diseases" message board at: http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?
Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases Zhan le Demfja tai sastimasa Go with God
and in Good Health
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