National survey of the rat hepatitis E virus in rodents in Spain, 2022 to 2023
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background Rat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV) is an emerging virus causing acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. Rats are the main natural reservoir of this pathogen. Large-scale studies assessing ratHEV circulation in rodents in Spain are lacking. Aim We aimed to determine the prevalence of ratHEV in rats in Spain and evaluate potential transmission risk to humans. Methods We designed a cross-sectional nationwide study where black (Rattus rattus) and Norway (R. norvegicus) rats were collected and analysed between 2022 and 2023 for ratHEV infection using real-time (RT)-qPCR testing of liver tissue. Sequencing and analysis of ratHEV shedding in faeces were carried out in positive animals. Results RatHEV was detected in 125 of the 481 rats analysed, supposing a prevalence of 26.0% (95 CI%: 22.3–30.1). Positive rats were found in urban (25.6%), and farm (29.8%) settings. Black rats (31.3%) had 1.5 times higher odds of being infected by the virus than Norway rats (22.5%) (p = 0.049). Significantly higher prevalence of ratHEV was detected in rodents sampled from southern (31.9%) than northern (17.8%) Spain (p = 0.003). Viral RNA was detected in faeces from 45.5% of infected rats. Phylogenetic analysis evidenced a wide genetic diversity of ratHEV sequences, some showing high homology with ratHEV strains found in patients from Spain. Conclusions Circulation of ratHEV appears to be heterogeneous and the virus appears to be endemic among rat populations in Spain, highlighting the possible risk of zoonotic transmission of this emerging virus in this country.
Source: Eurosurveillance
Authors: Javier Caballero-Gómez, Tomás Fajardo-Alonso, Lucía Ríos-Muñoz, Adrián Beato-Benítez, María Casares-Jiménez, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Raúl Cuadrado-Matías, Alba Martí-Marco, Javier Martínez, Remigio Martínez, Eva Martínez Nevado, Francisco Ruiz-Fons, João Rodrigo Mesquita, Màrius Fuentes, Diana Corona-Mata, Moisés Gonzálvez, Víctor Lizana, Pilar Soriano, Pilar Foronda, Dietmar Crailsheim, Antonio Rivero-Juárez, Antonio Rivero
Institutions: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Infecciosas, University of Córdoba, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, Universidad Cardenal Herrera CEU, Universidade do Porto, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Albel Salazar, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Universitat de València, Universidad de Murcia, Universidad de La Laguna
Language: English
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408944163