Serological Evidence of Hepatitis E Virus Exposure in Free-Ranging Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) in South Africa

Domestic pigs and wild boar are well-established reservoirs for zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) but whether it also occurs in other Suidae , including warthog, is unknown. Serum samples from 267 free-ranging warthogs collected in Kruger National Park and Mokala National Park, South Africa, were tested for anti-HEV antibodies and for HEV RNA. Overall, 22% (58/267) of samples were seropositive, with significantly higher seroprevalence in Mokala National Park (32%) than Kruger National Park (13%) (χ 2 = 13, p = 0.0003). No HEV RNA was detected. These findings provide the first serological evidence of HEV exposure in African warthogs.