Rat Hepatitis E Virus in Norway Rats, Ontario, Canada, 2018–2021
Sarah J. Robinson, Jamie Borlang, Chelsea G. Himsworth, David L. Pearl, J. Scott Weese, Antonia Dibernardo, Carla Osiowy, Neda Nasheri, Claire M. Jardine
Abstract
We tested liver samples from 372 Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from southern Ontario, Canada, during 2018-2021 to investigate presence of hepatitis E virus infection. Overall, 21 (5.6%) rats tested positive for the virus. Sequence analysis demonstrated all infections to be rat hepatitis E virus (Rocahepevirus ratti genotype C1).
Topics & Concepts
VirologyVirusGenotypeBiologyHepatitis virusHepatitis C virusHepatitis a virusHepatitis E virusMedicineGeneGeneticsHepatitis Viruses Studies and EpidemiologyViral gastroenteritis research and epidemiologyLiver Disease and Transplantation