Rat Hepatitis E Virus: Presence in Humans in South-Western France?

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is one of the most common causes of hepatitis worldwide, and South-Western France is a high HEV seroprevalence area. While most cases of HEV infection are associated with the species Orthohepevirus-A, several studies have reported a few cases of HEV infections due to Orthohepevirus-C (HEV-C) that usually infects rats. Most of these human cases have occurred in immunocompromised patients. We have screened for the presence of HEV-C in our region.Methods and Results: We tested 224 sera, mostly from immunocompromised patients, for HEV-C RNA using an in-house real time RT-PCR. Liver function tests gave elevated results in 63% of patients: mean ALT was 159 IU/L (normal < 40 IU/L). Anti-HEV IgG (49%) and anti-HEV IgM (9.4%) were frequently present but none of the samples tested positive for HEV-C RNA.Conclusion: HEV-C does not circulate in the human population of South-Western France, despite the high seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgG.

First Detection of Hepatitis E Virus (Rocahepevirus ratti Genotype C1) in Synanthropic Norway Rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Romania

“…In our study, similar to the cited studies, we focused on assessing the circulation of rat HEV and HEV-3 in rats rather than determining rat HEV in swine and other animals. Indeed, the presence of the virus has been investigated in humans in a limited number of countries, including Hong Kong, France, Spain and Germany, and has been detected in patients with acute hepatitis in Hong Kong and Spain and in chronic hepatitis in France [ 5 , 15 , 17 , 45 , 46 ]. The transmission pathway of rat HEV from natural host to human remains to be identified.…”

Lack of Evidence of Hepatitis E Virus Infections in a Cohort of Boars and Deer Species in a Game Reserve in Northern Germany

“…An HEV variant distinct from the classical HEV genotypes, the so-called rat HEV, attracted a lot of attention in recent years. However, the role of HEV transmission by rats or other small rodents still needs to be determined [22,23]. Whether animals living in enclosures are at increased risk of HEV infection and the consumption of raw game meat is associated with HEV exposure so far has been insufficiently studied.…”

Hepatitis A Virus and Hepatitis E Virus as Food- and Waterborne Pathogens—Transmission Routes and Methods for Detection in Food

“…HEV-C1 was earlier considered unable to infect humans, but since then, several rat hepatitis E virus (HEV) cases have been identified in humans [ 158 , 159 , 160 , 161 , 162 ]. Despite the occurrence of HEV-C1 infections in humans, several studies indicating that HEV-C1 infections are very rare among several populations in Europe [ 163 , 164 , 165 ]. Furthermore, the transmission route of HEV-C1 between rats and humans is elusive.…”