Rat Hepatitis E Virus (Rocahepevirus ratti): A Systematic Review of Its Presence in Water, Food-Related Matrices, and Potential Risks to Human Health

Rat hepatitis E virus (rat HEV) is an emerging zoonotic virus detected in rodents world- wide, with increasing evidence of presence in environmental sources such as surface water, wastewater and bivalves. This systematic review compiles and analyzes all the published research on rat HEV contamination in these matrices, as well as its implications for human health. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Mendeley, including...