Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been detected in rabbits, but whether rabbit HEV strains can be transmitted to humans is not known. Of 919 HEV-infected patients in France during 2015-2016, five were infected with a rabbit HEV strain. None of the patients had direct contact with rabbits, suggesting foodborne or waterborne infections.
Keywords: France; HEV; chronic infections; hepatitis; hepatitis E; hepatitis E virus; humans; infections; rabbit hepatitis E virus; rabbits; ribavirin; viruses; zoonoses.