Hepatitis viruses can cause inflammation of the liver. Of the five most significant virus types, A, B, C, D and E, the latter mentioned hepatitis E viruses (HEV) alone cause an estimated 20 million human infections worldwide each year. However, it has only been known for a few years that humans can also be infected with a variant of the hepatitis E virus that is usually prevalent in rats. Following reports of individual cases, mainly from Hong Kong and Spain, the first infection with ratHEV has now also been described in a patient from Germany. "How the virus is transmitted is still largely unclear", says Professor Reimar Johne, head of the Unit Viruses in Food at the BfR. "However, the results of the investigation suggest that ratHEV has to be considered a new zoonotic pathogen in Germany and Central Europe." Researchers will present the current state of knowledge on ratHEV and new findings on the spread and transmission of the pathogen at the 6th BfR Symposium on "Foodborne Viruses". In addition to HEV, other viruses, especially those that are also transmitted through consumption of food, will be on the agenda of the event. These include well-known foodborne viruses such as the highly contagious noroviruses and hepatitis A viruses. However, the potential risks posed by the transmission of other viruses will also be discussed, for example the relatively little-investigated gastrointestinal adenoviruses, and influenza viruses, which are currently causing a resurgence of bird flu. Experts will provide information on the latest findings on these pathogens in three thematic blocks: "Basic Knowledge", "Detection Methods" and "Hygiene, Inactivation and Evaluation of Results". The symposium will take place on 27 November in Berlin at the BfR site in Marienfelde and is aimed at interested parties from scientific institutions, food safety laboratories and regional authorities in German-speaking countries. Journalists are cordially invited to attend.
