Molecular Detection and Genetic Typing of Hepatitis E Virus in Wild Animals from Slovakia

Hepatitis E is an emerging zoonosis caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV) and is recognised worldwide. Wild boars are considered one of the main reservoirs of the zoonotic HEV-3 genotype. However, HEV-3 has also been detected in many other wildlife species. In this study, we investigated 284 liver and muscle tissue samples from wild boars and 107 liver and muscle tissue samples from four different wild ruminant species (red deer, roe deer, European mouflon and fallow deer) across 35 hunting areas in Slovakia. HEV RNA was detected in 14.2% (95% CI 9.8-18.6%) of the liver and 10.5% (95% CI 0.4-20.6%) of the muscle tissue samples from wild boars but in none of the samples from the wild ruminant species. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial ORF1 and ORF2 of the HEV genome revealed that the Slovak wild boar HEV sequences clustered within the zoonotic genotype HEV-3. Depending on their geographical origin, the obtained sequences clustered into three HEV-3 subtypes: HEV-3a, HEV-3i and HEV-3e. Our findings confirm the circulation of HEV in the wild boar population in the Slovak Republic but not in wild ruminant species.