BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1667254
First evidence of Hepatitis E virus in domestic pigs: a cross-sectional seroepidemiological study in the Bosnia and Herzegovina
Provisionally accepted
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Introduction: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is foodborne zoonotic pathogen widespread among European swine yet unstudied in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). We estimated HEV seroprevalence in domestic pigs in Federation of B&H (FB&H) and assessed farm-level risk factors for exposure. Methods: Cross-sectional survey sampled 437 pigs from 87 farms across seven cantons via two-stage random design. Serum anti-HEV IgG measured by commercial indirect ELISA; managers completed standardized biosecurity/management questionnaire. Apparent seroprevalence calculated with 95% CIs. Univariable screening (α=0.10) informed multivariable logistic regression with farm-level clustering; collinearity checked (Phi), AIC-guided forward selection applied. Results: Animal-level seroprevalence 77.1% (95% CI 73.0–81.0%); herd-level 95.4% (88.9–98.7%). Adults showed higher seropositivity than growers (91.0% vs 71.7%; p<0.001). Significant factors: wild-boar proximity (adjusted POR 3.11; p=0.04), small farm size (18.35; p<0.001), swill feeding (5.70; p=0.03). Cleaning ≥5×/month strongly protective (0.01; p<0.001). All surveyed cantons had positives; no equivocal ELISA results. Discussion: Findings indicate widespread HEV in FB&H swine with environmental, food-safety, and occupational implications. Older-animal pattern reflects cumulative exposure; small-farm context and wildlife interface likely sustain transmission, whereas frequent cleaning reduces risk. Strengthened biosecurity, wildlife exclusion, feed oversight (including prohibition/monitoring of swill feeding), and improved hygiene, should form basis of One Health interventions to mitigate potential zoonotic transmission via the pork production chain
Keywords: HEV1, Epidemiology2, risk factors3, biosecurity4, swine5
Received: 16 Jul 2025; Accepted: 25 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Muftić. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Abdullah Muftić, abdullah.muftic@vfs.unsa.ba
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