Occurrence of Hepatitis E Virus in Human Patients, Food and Animal Products From Slovakia

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the only zoonotic pathogen that causes human viral hepatitis. Foodborne transmission of this virus is one of the most important transmission routes. In this study, performed in various hospitals between 2019 and 2024, we detected the HEV RNA in samples of 66 suspected patients in Eastern Slovakia. In total, 36 patients were found positive. Phylogenetic analysis of selected sequences (n = 26) showed that the majority (n = 22) clustered to genotype HEV-3 group 1. There were only four isolates that clustered to HEV-3 group 2. Statistically significant risk factors associated with viral hepatitis E were gender, age, health status and consumption of animal products. We also analysed suspected food products consumed by patients (n = 10) and animal product samples from stores (n = 218). Only 2 out of 55 (3.6%) pork liver samples from the same butchery shop were found positive for the HEV RNA, clustering to HEV-3 group 2. None of the other animal or food products were found to be positive. This report is the first to utilise genetic typing of the HEV from Slovakia in human patients, food and animal products. However, a direct relationship between human HEV infection and food was not found.