First Detection of Rocahepevirus in Urban Wastewater from Guinea: A One Health Alert.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide, with zoonotic genotypes detected in humans and animals. In Africa, limited data exist on environmental HEV circulation. Here, we report the first detection of Rocahepevirus ratti (RHEV) in urban wastewater from Conakry, Guinea. From December 2024 to April 2025, Rocahepevirus ratti (RHEV) has been detected in 35 out of 180 urban untreated wastewater samples in Conakry, Guinea. The phylogenetic analysis of partial HEV ORF1 genome segments reveals clustering with African rodent RHEV strains, highlighting environmental contamination and potential zoonotic risk for human populations in proximity. This finding underscores the need for integrated One Health surveillance to monitor HEV transmission at the human-animal-environment interface in West Africa, particularly in Guinea.