Emerging Infectious Diseases (Dec 2022)

Hepatitis E Virus Infections in Free-Ranging and Captive Cetaceans, Spain, 2011–2022

  • Javier Caballero-Gómez,
  • Antonio Rivero-Juarez,
  • Adrián Beato-Benítez,
  • Carolina Fernández-Maldonado,
  • Mariano Domingo,
  • Daniel García-Párraga,
  • Antonio Fernández,
  • Eva Sierra,
  • Rainer G. Ulrich,
  • Eva Martínez-Nevado,
  • Cecilia Sierra-Arqueros,
  • Rocío Canales-Merino,
  • Antonio Rivero,
  • Ignacio García-Bocanegra

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2812.221188
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 28, no. 12
pp. 2543 – 2547

Abstract

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Epidemiologic surveillance of hepatitis E virus in over 300 free-ranging and captive cetaceans in waters off Spain revealed extensive exposure to this pathogen. We suggest the persistent and widespread presence of hepatitis E in the marine environment off the coast of Spain may be driven by terrestrial sources of contamination.

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