Rabbit Hepatitis E Virus, Ukraine, 2024

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Zoonotic Disease Research
• Public Health Microbiology

Background:

• Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a significant public health concern globally.
• Zoonotic transmission of HEV, particularly from animal reservoirs, is an increasing area of research.
• The role of domestic animals, such as rabbits, as potential HEV reservoirs remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) in rabbit populations in Ukraine.
• To identify specific HEV genotypes circulating in these animals.
• To assess the zoonotic potential of detected HEV subtypes.

Main Methods:

• Collection and screening of fecal samples from domestic rabbits in Ukraine.
• Molecular detection of HEV RNA using RT-PCR.
• Genotyping of identified HEV strains to determine subtypes.

Main Results:

• Hepatitis E virus genotype 3ra (HEV-3ra), a potentially zoonotic subtype, was identified in the screened rabbit fecal samples.
• This finding indicates the circulation of HEV-3ra within the rabbit population in Ukraine.
• The identification of HEV-3ra in rabbits underscores their potential role as reservoirs for this zoonotic virus.

Conclusions:

• Rabbits in Ukraine harbor the potentially zoonotic Hepatitis E virus 3ra subtype.
• This discovery emphasizes the need for improved HEV surveillance in Ukraine, particularly focusing on animal populations.
• Expansion of HEV sampling strategies in the region is crucial for public health risk assessment and control.