Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important public health problem and
responsible for both acute and chronic viral hepatitis. The HEV
transmission usually occurs through the fecal-oral route, and public
health implications of its water-borne and food-borne transmissions
along with environmental contamination raise high concerns towards its
zoonosis. Apart from affecting developing countries, this virus is
causing a rising number of cases in the developed countries.
The spread of HEV particles to the
environment can pollute surface waters, which could be an HEV infection
source for humans and animals. HEV has also been identified in urban
sewage samples in various countries. HEV virus quite frequently infects
the European community and some animal species and identification of
virus in polluted animal products suggest the circulation of HEV from
water to food chain. Several studies indicating high seroprevalence and
circulation of HEV in pigs as well as in environmental samples warrants
to investigate the role of trade in carrier pigs, elucidate HEV
virulence maintenance in the environment and meat supply chain to throw
light on the possible sources of infection in humans and the degree of
occupational risk, and zoonosis. The purpose of this review is to
discuss the HEV infections and associated risk factors with an emphasis
on pigs, presence in environment, food-borne, water-borne, and zoonotic
transmissions.
KEYWORDS Hepatitis E virus, pigs, zoonotic transmission,
water-borne, environment