Emerging Infectious Diseases (Sep 2023)

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

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2909.230517
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 9
pp. 1890 – 1894

Abstract

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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).

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