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Substantial spillover burden of rat hepatitis E virus in humans

Author

Listed:
  • Zihao Chen

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Lifeng Wang

    (Menghai County People’s Hospital)

  • Yongde Zhang

    (Menghai County Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

  • Guanghui Li

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Jiaxiang Yin

    (Dali University)

  • Jingyan Fan

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Tianxu Liu

    (Peking University Health Science Center)

  • Han Wu

    (Fudan University)

  • Yue Huang

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Wenhui Huang

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Donglin Liu

    (Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

  • Xiaoxiang Zheng

    (Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

  • Xia Zang

    (Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

  • Xingcheng Huang

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Liuwei Song

    (Xiamen)

  • Shunhua Wen

    (Xiamen)

  • Jiayu Li

    (Xiamen)

  • Dong Ying

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Mujin Fang

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Yingbin Wang

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Ting Wu

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Siddharth Sridhar

    (Pokfulam
    Health@InnoHK
    The University of Hong Kong)

  • Jun Zhang

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

  • Ningshao Xia

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University
    Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences)

  • Lin Wang

    (Peking University Health Science Center)

  • Yihan Lu

    (Fudan University)

  • Zizheng Zheng

    (Xiamen University
    Xiamen University
    Xiamen University)

Abstract

The emergence of Rocahepevirus ratti genotype 1 (rat hepatitis E virus; rat HEV) in humans presents an unprecedented threat; however, the risk of rat HEV transmission to humans is not well understood. Here, we report the “Distinguishing Antibody Response Elicitation (DARE)” method, which distinguishes exposure to rat HEV. We use four study sets from China for large-scale population analysis: set 1 (hospital visit) and set 3 (ALT abnormality) from Yunnan province, a biodiversity hotspot, and set 2 (received physical examination) and set 4 (ALT abnormality) from Jiangsu province, a non-hotspot control region. rat HEV exposure risk is significantly higher in Yunnan, with 21.97% (190 of 865) in set 1 and 13.97% (70 of 501) in set 3, compared to 0.75% (9 of 1196) in Jiangsu’s set 2. Six spillover infections for rat HEV are identified in set 1, with one case of abnormal ALT. The rat-1d strains carried by rats are closely related to those human infections. Our study reveals the substantial spillover burden posed by rat HEV in biodiversity hotspots and highlights the utility of DARE method for proactive surveillance of public health emergencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Zihao Chen & Lifeng Wang & Yongde Zhang & Guanghui Li & Jiaxiang Yin & Jingyan Fan & Tianxu Liu & Han Wu & Yue Huang & Wenhui Huang & Donglin Liu & Xiaoxiang Zheng & Xia Zang & Xingcheng Huang & Liuwe, 2025. "Substantial spillover burden of rat hepatitis E virus in humans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-59345-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59345-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chunlan Zhuang & Xiaohui Liu & Xingcheng Huang & Jiaoxi Lu & Kongxin Zhu & Mengjun Liao & Lu Chen & Hanmin Jiang & Xia Zang & Yijun Wang & Changlin Yang & Donglin Liu & Zizheng Zheng & Xuefeng Zhang &, 2025. "Effectiveness of a hepatitis E vaccine against medically-attended symptomatic infection in HBsAg-positive adults from a test-negative design study," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-7, December.
    2. Nathan D. Wolfe & Claire Panosian Dunavan & Jared Diamond, 2007. "Origins of major human infectious diseases," Nature, Nature, vol. 447(7142), pages 279-283, May.
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