Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a pathogen that has caused various epidemics and sporadic localized cases. It is considered to be a public health problem worldwide. HEV is a small RNA virus with a significant genetic diversity, a broad host range, and a heterogeneous geographical distribution. HEV is mai...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Sophie Deli Tene Abou Abdallah Malick Diouara Sarbanding Sané Seynabou Coundoul |
| author_facet | Sophie Deli Tene Abou Abdallah Malick Diouara Sarbanding Sané Seynabou Coundoul |
| author_sort | Sophie Deli Tene |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a pathogen that has caused various epidemics and sporadic localized cases. It is considered to be a public health problem worldwide. HEV is a small RNA virus with a significant genetic diversity, a broad host range, and a heterogeneous geographical distribution. HEV is mainly transmitted via the faecal–oral route. However, some animals are considered to be natural or potential reservoirs of HEV, thus elucidating the zoonotic route of transmission via the environment through contact with these animals or consumption of their by-products. Other routes of human-to-human transmission are not negligible. The various human–animal–environment entities, taken under one health approach, show the circulation and involvement of the different species (mainly <i>Paslahepevirus balayani</i> and <i>Rocahepevirus ratti</i>) and genotypes in the spreading of HEV infection. Regarding <i>P. balayani</i>, eight genotypes have been described, of which five genotypes (HEV-1 to 4 and HEV-7) are known to infect humans, while six have been reported to infect animals (HEV-3 to HEV-8). Furthermore, the C1 genotype of the rat HEV strain (HEV-C1) is known to be more frequently involved in human infections than the HEV-C2 genotype, which is known to infect mainly ferrets and minks. Contamination can occur during run-off, flooding, and poor sanitation, resulting in all of these genotypes being disseminated in the environment, contaminating both humans and animals. This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO 2025 CRD420251071192. This research highlights the importance of investigating the transmission routes and major circulating HEV genotypes in order to adopt a holistic approach for controlling its emergence and preventing future outbreaks. In addition, this article outlines the knowledge of HEV in Africa, underlining the absence of large-scale studies at the environmental, human, and animal levels, which could improve HEV surveillance on the continent. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2e48d30299bc4aa3965f40778873db29 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj-art-2e48d30299bc4aa3965f40778873db292025-08-20T02:47:09ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-07-0114770410.3390/pathogens14070704Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic ReviewSophie Deli Tene0Abou Abdallah Malick Diouara1Sarbanding Sané2Seynabou Coundoul3Groupe de Recherche Biotechnologies Appliquées & Bioprocédés Environnementaux (GRBA-BE), Laboratoire Eau—Énergie—Environnement—Procédés Industriels (LE3PI), École Supérieure Polytechnique (ESP), Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar 5085, SenegalGroupe de Recherche Biotechnologies Appliquées & Bioprocédés Environnementaux (GRBA-BE), Laboratoire Eau—Énergie—Environnement—Procédés Industriels (LE3PI), École Supérieure Polytechnique (ESP), Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar 5085, SenegalGroupe de Recherche Biotechnologies Appliquées & Bioprocédés Environnementaux (GRBA-BE), Laboratoire Eau—Énergie—Environnement—Procédés Industriels (LE3PI), École Supérieure Polytechnique (ESP), Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar 5085, SenegalGroupe de Recherche Biotechnologies Appliquées & Bioprocédés Environnementaux (GRBA-BE), Laboratoire Eau—Énergie—Environnement—Procédés Industriels (LE3PI), École Supérieure Polytechnique (ESP), Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar 5085, SenegalHepatitis E virus (HEV) is a pathogen that has caused various epidemics and sporadic localized cases. It is considered to be a public health problem worldwide. HEV is a small RNA virus with a significant genetic diversity, a broad host range, and a heterogeneous geographical distribution. HEV is mainly transmitted via the faecal–oral route. However, some animals are considered to be natural or potential reservoirs of HEV, thus elucidating the zoonotic route of transmission via the environment through contact with these animals or consumption of their by-products. Other routes of human-to-human transmission are not negligible. The various human–animal–environment entities, taken under one health approach, show the circulation and involvement of the different species (mainly <i>Paslahepevirus balayani</i> and <i>Rocahepevirus ratti</i>) and genotypes in the spreading of HEV infection. Regarding <i>P. balayani</i>, eight genotypes have been described, of which five genotypes (HEV-1 to 4 and HEV-7) are known to infect humans, while six have been reported to infect animals (HEV-3 to HEV-8). Furthermore, the C1 genotype of the rat HEV strain (HEV-C1) is known to be more frequently involved in human infections than the HEV-C2 genotype, which is known to infect mainly ferrets and minks. Contamination can occur during run-off, flooding, and poor sanitation, resulting in all of these genotypes being disseminated in the environment, contaminating both humans and animals. This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO 2025 CRD420251071192. This research highlights the importance of investigating the transmission routes and major circulating HEV genotypes in order to adopt a holistic approach for controlling its emergence and preventing future outbreaks. In addition, this article outlines the knowledge of HEV in Africa, underlining the absence of large-scale studies at the environmental, human, and animal levels, which could improve HEV surveillance on the continent.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/7/704hepatitis E virusgenotypesenvironmenttransmission routeshumanzoonotic factors |
| spellingShingle | Sophie Deli Tene Abou Abdallah Malick Diouara Sarbanding Sané Seynabou Coundoul Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review Pathogens hepatitis E virus genotypes environment transmission routes human zoonotic factors |
| title | Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | hepatitis e virus hev infection in the context of the one health approach a systematic review |
| topic | hepatitis E virus genotypes environment transmission routes human zoonotic factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/7/704 |
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