Rocahepevirus ratti as an Emerging Cause of Acute Hepatitis Worldwide

Benavent, Sara; Carlos, Silvia; Reina, Gabriel

doi:10.3390/microorganisms11122996

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…In addition to Paslahepevirus balayani, other members of the Hepeviridae family can cause infections in humans. For instance, rat hepatitis E virus, or Rocahepevirus ratti, is reported to be an emerging cause of acute infections in humans in recent years [ 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Voluntary Blood Donors in the Russian Federation

Potemkin,

Kyuregyan,

Karlsen

et al. 2024

Viruses

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Transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an increasing concern in many countries. We investigated the detection rate of HEV viremia in blood donors in Russia. A total of 20,405 regular repetitive voluntary non-renumerated blood donors from two regions (Moscow and Belgorod) were screened for HEV RNA using the cobas® HEV test in mini-pools of six plasma samples. Samples from each reactive pool were tested individually. The average HEV RNA prevalence was 0.024% (95% CI: 0.01–0.05%), or 1 case per 4081 donations. No statistically significant differences in HEV RNA prevalence were observed between the two study regions. The PCR threshold cycle (Ct) values ranged from 25.0 to 40.5 in reactive pools, and from 20.9 to 41.4 in reactive plasma samples when tested individually. The HEV viremic donors had different antibody patterns. Two donor samples were reactive for both anti-HEV IgM and IgG antibodies, one sample was reactive for anti-HEV IgM and negative for anti-HEV IgG, and two samples were seronegative. At follow-up testing 6 months later, on average, four donors available for follow-up had become negative for HEV RNA and positive for anti-HEV IgG. The HEV ORF2 sequence belonging to HEV-3 sub-genotype 3a was obtained from one donor sample. The sequencing failed in the other four samples from viremic donors, presumably due to the low viral load. In conclusion, the HEV RNA detection rate in blood donors in Russia corresponds with data from other European countries, including those that implemented universal donor HEV screening. These data support the implementation of HEV RNA donor screening to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HEV infection in Russia.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Voluntary Blood Donors in the Russian Federation

Potemkin,

Kyuregyan,

Karlsen

et al. 2024

Viruses

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“…Additional cases of acute and chronic infections originating from rabbit HEV have been reported in patients from France and Switzerland ( 10 , 22 ). Finally, an increasing number of human hepatitis caused by rat-derived HEV from the genus Rocahepevirus (species Orthohepevirus ratti ) are currently being observed ( 23 ) highlighting the general zoonotic risk associated with hepevirus. The wide and continuously expanding host range of HEV, and considerations toward its direct transmission from animal reservoirs, prompts further investigation into the role of companion and working animals as potential sources of infection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serological survey on Hepatitis E virus in Namibian dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys

Molini,

Franzo,

de Villiers

et al. 2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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The present study investigated the seropositivity rate of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) in domestic and working animals in Namibia, which included dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys. HEV poses a growing threat as a significant cause of human hepatitis globally and has several genotypes of varying zoonotic potential. As epidemiological data on the seroprevalence of HEV in Namibia is scarce, a serosurvey was conducted on archived serum samples of 374 dogs, 238 cats, 98 horses, and 60 donkeys collected between 2018 and 2022 from different regions, to assess the potential of these animals as sources of HEV infection. The findings revealed that 10.43% (n = 39/374) canine and 5.88% (n = 14/238) feline samples tested positive for HEV antibodies, whereas no seropositivity was detected in horses and donkeys. The study further examined the risk factors associated with HEV seropositivity, including animal sex, age, and geographical region, and noted a higher prevalence in dogs living in areas with intensive pig farming. Although there is no direct evidence indicating that these animals served as major reservoirs for HEV transmission to humans, the study underscores the importance of preventive measures to minimize contact exposure with pets considering the potential zoonotic risk, especially for susceptible risk groups. Further research is needed to explore the zoonotic potential of domestic animals and the epidemiological links between animal and human HEV transmissions in Namibia.

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