In this study, we assessed the prevalence of HEV RNA among wild boars (Sus scrofa), deer (Cervus elaphus), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and coypu (Myocastor coypus) and, thus, the potential for these animals to act as sources of HEV infection for persons living in the Midi-Pyrénées area.
Nutria (Myocastor coypus), also called coypu, a large amphibious South American rodent with webbed hind feet.
Nutria, (Myocastor coypus), also called coypu, a large amphibious South American rodent with webbed hind feet.
Wildlife includes marsh deer, monkeys, armadillos, anteaters, otters, wild boars, tapirs, jaguars, ocelots, bats, and the coypu, a South American aquatic rodent.
In the sand and mud of this narrow estuary, 38 wild animal corpses have been discovered since mid-July – a coypu, a badger and 36 wild boar.
Samples of liver and bile were collected from 86 wild boars, 62 deer, 20 wild rabbits, and 78 coypu in the Midi-Pyrénées area.
HEV RNA was detected in 5 (5.8%) wild boar livers, 2 (3.2%) deer livers, 1 (5.0%) wild rabbit liver, and no coypu livers (Table).
The wild boars and deer were hunted from February 2010 through January 2011, rabbits were hunted from October 2013 through February 2014, and coypu were hunted in April 2011.
