Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen in Europe, where most autochthonous infections are caused by genotype 3 (HEV-3) and are due to ingestion of raw or undercooked pork meat products. Pigs and wild boars are recognized as the main reservoirs of infection. In this study, we investigated the epidemiology of HEV in wild boars from the Liguria and Piedmont regions (northwestern Italy) by screening, molecularly, a total of 98 liver samples from Liguria (n = 66, collected during the 2023–2024 hunting seasons) and Piedmont (n = 32, collected during 2022–2025) regions. HEV RNA was detected in 11 out of 98 liver samples, with an overall prevalence of 11.2%, a finding consistent with a significant viral circulation within the investigated animal population. Molecular characterization of the partial capsid coding gene was successfully achieved for eight strains revealing genetic heterogeneity and a diverse spatial distribution of the viral strains identified, with subtype 3a detected in Liguria and subtypes 3c and 3f identified in Piedmont.

Mammarenaviruses are enveloped, ambisense, single-stranded RNA viruses capable of causing fatal hemorrhagic fevers and severe neurological disorders in humans. Although muroid rodents have historically been recognized as the primary reservoirs for major pathogens like Lassa virus, recent surveillance has revealed a significant expansion of their host range. This review aims to synthesize current global data regarding the epidemiology of mammarenaviruses in conventional reservoirs and the emergence of novel arenaviruses in non-traditional mammalian hosts. To achieve this, we comprehensively analyzed recent molecular and metagenomic surveillance data, evolutionary studies, and epidemiological reports published worldwide. Key discoveries include Wenzhou virus in Asian house shrews, Plateau Pika virus in plateau pikas, and an independent, geographically clustered of hedgehog-associated arenaviruses across Europe. Ultimately, this review underscores the global distribution of these pathogens and the critical need for continued, multi-host surveillance worldwide.