Anti-HEV IgG was detected using the Wantai assay. clustered with previously recognized human sewage HEV-G3 sequences. Most pig farms workers (23 of 24) were HEV-seropositive; none was viraemic or reported previous clinical indicators. Conclusions This study showed that domestic pigs in Israel are infected with HEV-G3. The high HEV seropositivity of the farm workers together with the previous identification of this virus in human sewage suggests circulation to humans. The clinical impact of these findings on public health should be further explored. strong class=”kwd-title” Keywords: Hepatitis E, HEV-G3, sewage, HEV RNA, pigs, Seroprevalence Introduction Hepatitis E computer virus (HEV), which is usually primarily transmitted via the faecal-oral route, is a major causative agent of acute viral hepatitis in developing countries. At least 20 million HEV infections occur annually, and while most infections result in a self-limiting disease, ca?60,000 fatalities are reported every year [1]. Moreover, up to 30% mortality in women in the third trimester of pregnancy has been recorded [2]. In recent years, reports around the involvement of HEV viral hepatitis in Europe and non-European Mediterranean countries have been accumulating. Both acute and chronic viral hepatitis cases were identified. Two of the eight known HEV genotypes [3] are most frequently identified in these regions: HEV-G1, which is considered endemic in Asia, Africa and South America and infects humans through contaminated water [4], and HEV-G3, which is a zoonotic computer virus infecting pigs and other animals and is primarily transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected meat [5]. Both genotypes were detected in clinical and environmental samples, however, while HEV-G1 contamination results BGB-102 BGB-102 only in acute viral hepatitis, contamination with different HEV-G3 subtypes could also result in persistent chronic hepatitis [4] and is considered to be the main cause of HEV-related chronic viral hepatitis in Europe. Thus, to reduce the risk for blood-borne transmission of HEV-G3 sequences from donors chronically infected with this computer virus, several European countries have already initiated HEV screening of blood donations [6]. The incidence of HEV contamination in Israel is very low; only two to three cases per year have been reported between 1997 and 2012 [7]. Most cases were travellers returning from HEV-endemic countries who presented with acute viral hepatitis. BGB-102 When assessed, HEV-G1 was the only HEV genotype identified. Assuming that viral circulation can B2m be revealed by environmental sampling, we have previously shown that a subset of sewage samples collected between 2014 and 2015 was HEV-positive [8]. Surprisingly, sequence analysis revealed HEV-G3 sequences (of subtype G3f) in those RNA-positive samples, although this genotype has never been identified in any of the clinical cases in Israel. A possible source for HEV-G3 sequences are domestic pigs. Although pig consumption is not common in Israel, 90,000 pigs are being farmed at any given time on 24 swine breeding farms. Of these, 80,000 are bred on 23 farms in the northern region (West Galilee) and 10,000 are bred on a single farm in the southern region of Israel (Negev). The population of sows (breeders) in Israel is around 14,000. About 200,000 pigs are slaughtered per year, at the age of 6 months, exclusively for local consumption, yet, HEV exposure of humans has never been documented. HEV contamination in pigs is usually asymptomatic and short. It can be detected in the blood for a short period BGB-102 of several weeks after contamination. Virus shedding via the pig faeces is usually longer and can be observed for up to 155 days [9]. In this pilot study, we aimed to assess the status of HEV in a sample of the swine populace and among swine farm workers in Israel. Methods Samples Blood samples from 141 randomly selected pigs of different age groups were collected between February 2016 and October 2017. The pigs were from the BGB-102 southern farm (n?=?38) and from three northern farms (n?=?103). These three farms were selected to ensure a geographical distribution that is representative of.