Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jul 2017)

Rabbit Hepatitis E Virus Infections in Humans, France

  • Florence Abravanel,
  • Sébastien Lhomme,
  • Hicham El Costa,
  • Betoul Schvartz,
  • Jean-Marie Peron,
  • Nassim Kamar,
  • Jacques Izopet

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2307.170318
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 7
pp. 1191 – 1193

Abstract

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Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been detected in rabbits, but whether rabbit HEV strains can be transmitted to humans is not known. Of 919 HEV-infected patients in France during 2015–2016, five were infected with a rabbit HEV strain. None of the patients had direct contact with rabbits, suggesting foodborne or waterborne infections.

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