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Communication

Recent Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Wild Boars and Other Ungulates in Japan

by
Milagros Virhuez-Mendoza
1,
Keita Ishijima
1,
Kango Tatemoto
1,
Yudai Kuroda
1,
Yusuke Inoue
1,
Ayano Nishino
1,2,
Tsukasa Yamamoto
1,2,
Akihiko Uda
1,
Akitoyo Hotta
1,
Hidenori Kabeya
3,
Hiroshi Shimoda
2,
Kazuo Suzuki
4,
Tomoyoshi Komiya
5,
Junji Seto
6,
Yuki Iwashina
7,
Daisuke Hirano
8,
Mikio Sawada
9,
Sayuri Yamaguchi
10,
Fusayo Hosaka
11 and
Ken Maeda
1,2,*
1
Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
2
Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
3
Laboratory of Veterinary Food Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa 252-0880, Japan
4
Hikiiwa Park Center, Wakayama 646-0051, Japan
5
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hokuriku University, Kanazawa 920-1180, Japan
6
Department of Microbiology, Yamagata Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Yamagata 990-0031, Japan
7
Japan Wildlife Research Center, Tokyo 130-8606, Japan
8
Livestock Hygiene Department, Aomori Prefecture Livestock Association, Aomori 030-0822, Japan
9
Gifu Veterinary Medical Association, Gifu 500-8385, Japan
10
Kagawa Prefecture Livestock Association, Takamatsu 760-0023, Japan
11
Gunma Prefecture Livestock Association, Maebashi 379-2147, Japan
 
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Viruses 2025, 17(4), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17040524
Submission received: 27 February 2025 / Revised: 2 April 2025 / Accepted: 2 April 2025 / Published: 4 April 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hepatitis E: Molecular Virology, Pathogenesis, and Treatment, 2nd Edition)
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Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen with multiple hosts, posing significant public health risks, especially in regions like Japan where game meat consumption is prevalent. This study investigated HEV infection and viral shedding in wild boars, sika deer, and Japanese serows across Japan. A total of 1896 serum samples were tested for anti-HEV antibodies, 1034 for HEV RNA, and 473 fecal samples for viral shedding. Anti-HEV antibodies were detected in wild boars from all seven prefectures studied, while HEV RNA was detected in wild boars from Fukuoka, Oita, and Miyazaki in southern Japan, as well as Yamaguchi prefecture. Genetic analysis revealed subtypes 3b, 4a, and 4g, with 3b being the most prevalent. Subtype 3b exhibited distinct geographical clustering, whereas 4g persisted exclusively in Yamaguchi for over 12 years. Infectious HEV particles were confirmed in wild boar feces, highlighting the risk of environmental contamination and zoonotic transmission. Sika deer showed no evidence of HEV infection, and only one Japanese serow tested positive for antibodies without detectable RNA. These findings underscore the importance of ongoing surveillance to assess the zoonotic risks from game meat consumption and prevention of HEV transmission to humans.
Keywords: hepatitis E virus; game meat; wild boar; sika deer; Japanese serow hepatitis E virus; game meat; wild boar; sika deer; Japanese serow

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MDPI and ACS Style

Virhuez-Mendoza, M.; Ishijima, K.; Tatemoto, K.; Kuroda, Y.; Inoue, Y.; Nishino, A.; Yamamoto, T.; Uda, A.; Hotta, A.; Kabeya, H.; et al. Recent Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Wild Boars and Other Ungulates in Japan. Viruses 2025, 17, 524. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17040524

AMA Style

Virhuez-Mendoza M, Ishijima K, Tatemoto K, Kuroda Y, Inoue Y, Nishino A, Yamamoto T, Uda A, Hotta A, Kabeya H, et al. Recent Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Wild Boars and Other Ungulates in Japan. Viruses. 2025; 17(4):524. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17040524

Chicago/Turabian Style

Virhuez-Mendoza, Milagros, Keita Ishijima, Kango Tatemoto, Yudai Kuroda, Yusuke Inoue, Ayano Nishino, Tsukasa Yamamoto, Akihiko Uda, Akitoyo Hotta, Hidenori Kabeya, and et al. 2025. "Recent Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Wild Boars and Other Ungulates in Japan" Viruses 17, no. 4: 524. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17040524

APA Style

Virhuez-Mendoza, M., Ishijima, K., Tatemoto, K., Kuroda, Y., Inoue, Y., Nishino, A., Yamamoto, T., Uda, A., Hotta, A., Kabeya, H., Shimoda, H., Suzuki, K., Komiya, T., Seto, J., Iwashina, Y., Hirano, D., Sawada, M., Yamaguchi, S., Hosaka, F., & Maeda, K. (2025). Recent Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Wild Boars and Other Ungulates in Japan. Viruses, 17(4), 524. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17040524

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