Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of hepatitis E, an emerging public health infection which has an increasing incidence across Europe. Because of the apparent lack of species barriers, HEV was characterized as a zoonotic agent. Swine are recognized as the main reservoir, but HEV is also found in wild animals such as ungulates, lagomorphs, and bats. Our work aimed at detecting the HEV presence in wild fauna in two hunting areas of Northern Italy (Parma and Sondrio areas) with different environmental and anthropic characteristics to investigate its possible role as reservoir. Liver samples were collected from wild boars, red deer, roe deer and chamois, and viral identification was carried out by One-Step RT Real-time PCR. Positive samples were genotyped, and phylogenetic analysis was performed. The virus was found only in the wild boar population, with different prevalence and subtypes in the two areas (14% HEV3a and 1.2% close to HEV3f in Parma and Sondrio, respectively). Wild ruminants seem otherwise to pose a marginal risk. Given the high pig farm density in the Parma area, and expansion of the wild boar population, continuous monitoring of the strains circulating in wildlife is crucial.

戊型肝炎病毒 (HEV) 是戊型肝炎的病原体，戊型肝炎是一种新兴的公共卫生感染，在整个欧洲的发病率不断增加。由于明显缺乏物种障碍，HEV 被定性为一种人畜共患病原体。猪被认为是主要的宿主，但在有蹄类动物、兔类动物和蝙蝠等野生动物中也发现了 HEV。我们的工作旨在检测意大利北部两个具有不同环境和人类特征的狩猎区（帕尔马和松德里奥地区）的野生动物群中 HEV 的存在，以调查其作为水库的可能作用。采集野猪、马鹿、狍和羚羊的肝脏样本，采用一步法逆转录实时PCR进行病毒鉴定。对阳性样本进行基因分型，并进行系统发育分析。该病毒仅在野猪种群中发现，两个地区的流行率和亚型不同（帕尔马和松德里奥分别为 14% 的 HEV3a 和接近 HEV3f 的 1.2%）。否则，野生反刍动物似乎构成的风险很小。鉴于帕尔马地区的养猪场密度很高，而且野猪数量不断增加，因此对野生动物中传播的菌株进行持续监测至关重要。