Epidemiological study of hepatitis E virus infection in European wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Spain

Evidence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in Spanish domestic pig has been reported and hence it was advisable to search for this zoonotic pathogen in wild boar populations. A total of 150 wild boar serum samples from eight geographic areas from South-Central Spain were used to investigate HEV infection in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) by means of serology and PCR and its distribution by age, region and management system. Anti-HEV IgG, IgM and IgA were determined by an in-house ELISA. The overall seroprevalence was 42.7% (range 30.63-55.65%) and 19.6% (range 13.53-27.40%) of the animals tested positive for HEV RNA. Wild boar sequences were clustered within the genotype 3. This is the first description of HEV infection in Spanish wild boar and the results obtained may suggest a possible role of wild boar as a HEV reservoir for both domestic animals and humans.