Expression of Interferon-α and Mx Protein in the Livers of Pigs Experimentally Infected with Swine Hepatitis E Virus

SummaryExpression of interferon-α (IFN-α) and Mx protein in the livers of pigs experimentally infected with swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) was examined immunohistochemically. Five infected and five non-infected pigs were killed at 3, 7, 14, 21, 29 and 50 days post-inoculation (dpi). Tissues were collected from each pig at necropsy. Multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis (P = 0.042) and focal hepatocellular necrosis (P = 0.037) were significantly more frequent in the swine HEV-infected pigs than in the non-infected control pigs. Immunohistochemical analysis detected expression of IFN-α and Mx protein by macrophages/Kupffer cells, lymphocytes and hepatocytes in the livers of infected pigs.