High Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) from Bahía Samborombón, Argentina: Relevance to One Health Surveillance

Objective: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonosis circulating in multiple wild and domestic mammals. In Argentina, genotype 3 has been detected in humans, pigs, and environmental water, but the role of feral swine (Sus scrofa) in HEV ecology and transmission dynamics remains underexplored. This study was aimed at investigating HEV exposure in feral swine from Bahía Samborombón, a high-density coastal population. Methods: Serum samples from 44 feral swine culled during population control activities in Campos del Tuyú National Park (Bahía Samborombón, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) between 2021 and 2022 were opportunistically collected and tested with a commercial multispecies ELISA detecting anti-HEV antibodies (genotypes 1–4). Results: Overall, 54.5% (24/44; 95% CI: 38.8–69.6) of the animals were seropositive for HEV, and no significant differences were found between males and females (p = 0.077). Conclusions: The observed high seropositivity exceeding previously reported levels in Argentina indicated widespread exposure in this high-density coastal wetland. These findings underscore the need for integrated One Health and multi-species surveillance to better understand transmission dynamics and inform risk mitigation at the wildlife-livestock-human interface.