Occurrence and genetic diversity of the zoonotic rat hepatitis E virus in small mammal species, Spain.
Javier Caballero-Gómez1,2,3
Tomás Fajardo-Alonso3
Lucia Rios-Muñoz1,2
Raúl Cuadrado-Matías4
Aitor Somoano5
Rosario Panadero6
María Casares-Jiménez1,2
Ignacio García-Bocanegra2,3
Laura Ruiz1
Adrián Beato-Benítez3
Francisco Ruiz-Fons2,4
Débora Jiménez-Martín3
Alberto Espí5
Ana Del Cerro5
Remigio Martínez3
Mario Frías1,2,3
Antonio Rivero-Juárez7,8
Antonio Rivero1,2
Affiliations8 institutions
Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
CIBERINFEC, ISCIII-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes ENZOEM, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
Grupo de Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain.
Área de Sanidad Animal, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), Asturias, Spain.
Departamento de Patología Animal. Grupo Investigación en Sanidad Animal:Galicia (INVESAGA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain.
Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. [email protected].
CIBERINFEC, ISCIII-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. [email protected].
Rat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV-C1) is a newly zoonotic and globally distributed virus of increasing public health concern. Although rats of the genus Rattus are the main reservoir of this emerging virus, the role of other small mammals in the epidemiology of ratHEV-C1 in Europe is unknown as large-scale survey studies specifically assessing the circulation of ratHEV-C1 in these species have not yet been conducted. In this study, we examined active ratHEV-C1 infection in 514 animals from seven different small mammal species sampled throughout Spain. The presence of viral RNA was evaluated for ratHEV-C1 infection using RT-qPCRs in liver tissue. Sequencing and analysis of ratHEV-C1 shedding in faeces were carried out in positive animals. Viral RNA was detected in 15 individuals (mean Ct value: 34.5), supposing a frequency of 2.9% (95% CI: 1.8-4.8). We confirmed ratHEV infection in house mice (14.5%; 11/76), common voles (0.7%; 2/288) and garden dormice (25.0%; 2/8) and viral shedding in faeces in 36.4% (4/11) of positive house mice. Infected animals were detected in urban areas, small ruminant farms and rural areas throughout Spain. Our sequences showed a considerable genetic diversity, and they were closely related with ratHEV-C1 strains detected in human and rats from Spain, Germany and Hungary. Our study confirms that ratHEV is not limited to Rattus genus, identifying other rodents' species as potential host of ratHEV-C1 in Europe. Our results highlight the importance of continued surveillance in animals to fully understand the dynamics of ratHEV-C1 and its impact on public health.
emerginghepeviruseshost rangeRocahepevirus rattisurveillancezoonosesGenetic VariationHepatitis EHepatitis E virusRodent DiseasesAnimalsFecesPhylogenyRatsRNA, ViralSpainZoonoses
Structured evidence records
Evidence records
6 total
Cross Species Transmission3 records
Cross Species TransmissionExtraction confidence 0.95
Key finding
Rat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV-C1) was found infecting non-Rattus rodent species including house mice, common voles, and garden dormice, demonstrating interspecies transmission among small mammals.
We confirmed ratHEV infection in house mice (14.5%; 11/76), common voles (0.7%; 2/288) and garden dormice (25.0%; 2/8)... identifying other rodents' species as potential host of ratHEV-C1 in Europe.
Method
RT-qPCR; sequencing; phylogenetic analysis
Study design
field surveillance
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
Spain
Country inferred
Spain
Cross Species TransmissionExtraction confidence 0.95
Key finding
Rat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV-C1) infected common voles, indicating cross-species transmission from rats to another small mammal species.
We confirmed ratHEV infection in house mice (14.5%; 11/76), common voles (0.7%; 2/288) and garden dormice (25.0%; 2/8)... identifying other rodents' species as potential host of ratHEV-C1 in Europe.
Method
RT-qPCR; sequencing; phylogenetic analysis
Study design
field surveillance
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
Spain
Country inferred
Spain
Cross Species TransmissionExtraction confidence 0.95
Key finding
Rat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV-C1) infected garden dormice, supporting cross-species transmission among rodent species.
We confirmed ratHEV infection in house mice (14.5%; 11/76), common voles (0.7%; 2/288) and garden dormice (25.0%; 2/8)... identifying other rodents' species as potential host of ratHEV-C1 in Europe.
Method
RT-qPCR; sequencing; phylogenetic analysis
Study design
field surveillance
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
Spain
Country inferred
Spain
Genomic Evolution1 records
Genomic EvolutionExtraction confidence 0.90
Key finding
Genomic sequencing of ratHEV-C1 from small mammals in Spain identified considerable genetic diversity and phylogenetic relatedness to human and rat ratHEV-C1 strains from Spain, Germany, and Hungary.
Sequencing and analysis of ratHEV-C1 shedding in faeces were carried out in positive animals. Our sequences showed a considerable genetic diversity, and they were closely related with ratHEV-C1 strains detected in human and rats from Spain, Germany and Hungary.
Genes or proteins
whole genome
Analysis methods
sequencing; phylogenetic analysis
Reservoir Ecology1 records
Reservoir EcologyExtraction confidence 0.80
Key finding
RatHEV-C1 was detected in house mice, common voles, and garden dormice across urban, farm, and rural settings in Spain, indicating multiple small mammal reservoirs.
We confirmed ratHEV infection in house mice (14.5%; 11/76), common voles (0.7%; 2/288) and garden dormice (25.0%; 2/8) and viral shedding in faeces in 36.4% (4/11) of positive house mice. Infected animals were detected in urban areas, small ruminant farms and rural areas throughout Spain. Our study confirms that ratHEV is not limited to Rattus genus, identifying other rodents' species as potential host of ratHEV-C1 in Europe.
Method
RT-qPCR; sequencing; field sampling
Sample type
liver tissue; faeces
Geographic raw
Spain
Country inferred
Spain
Zoonotic Surveillance1 records
Zoonotic SurveillanceExtraction confidence 1.00
Key finding
Active surveillance detected ratHEV-C1 infection and faecal shedding in multiple small mammal species including house mice, common voles, and garden dormice across Spain.
In this study, we examined active ratHEV-C1 infection in 514 animals from seven different small mammal species sampled throughout Spain. The presence of viral RNA was evaluated for ratHEV-C1 infection using RT-qPCRs in liver tissue. Sequencing and analysis of ratHEV-C1 shedding in faeces were carried out in positive animals.
Method
RT-qPCR; sequencing
Sample type
liver tissue; faeces
Geographic raw
Spain
Country inferred
Spain
Citation context
References
24 references
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