Expression of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) 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-alpha and Mx protein by macrophages/Kupffer cells, lymphocytes and hepatocytes in the livers of infected pigs.
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