Infectious Disease · Public Health ·
Rat hepatitis E virus detected in brown rats across eight French cities
An observational study tested 686 brown rats captured in eight French cities during 2021–2023. Rat hepatitis E virus RNA was detected in 30.5% of liver samples, and positive animals were found in every city studied.
- rHEV RNA was found in 30.5% of 686 rats.
- Positive rats were detected in all eight cities.
- Viral sequences showed high identity with human sequences.
- The study does not establish human transmission risk.
Researchers assessed rat hepatitis E virus (rHEV) circulation in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) captured in eight French cities from April 2021 through July 2023. They tested liver samples from 686 rats by quantitative RT-PCR and analyzed serum from 317 rats for antibodies. The study also sequenced viral genomes and examined associations between infection and rat characteristics, including weight and sex.
rHEV RNA was detected in 209 of 686 rats (30.5%; 95% CI 27.1%–34.0%). Positivity ranged from 9.7% to 44% across cities, with positive animals identified in all eight. Rates were 9% among rats weighing less than 100 g and 40.7% among those over 100 g. Antibodies were detected in 144 of 317 serum samples (45%). The researchers obtained 20 full genome sequences and reported high genetic identity between rat and human sequences from France and Europe.
The findings indicate widespread rHEV circulation in the sampled urban rat populations and provide surveillance data relevant to zoonotic exposure. They do not establish transmission from rats to people or quantify human infection risk. The article is an early-release version and may be revised before official release.
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Emerging Infectious Diseases: Rat Hepatitis E Virus Circulation in Brown Rats from 8 Cities, France, 2021–2023 ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.