A study detected rat hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA in 44 of 387 farmed pigs in Spain, indicating pigs may be susceptible to rat HEV and could serve as viral intermediaries between rodents and humans. This finding suggests that pigs might contribute to the transmission of rat HEV, expanding the range of species susceptible to the virus. The study highlights the need for further evaluation of rat HEV in farmed pigs to assess public health risks. The presence of rat HEV in pigs raises concerns about its potential to spread to humans, especially given the global consumption of pork. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends monitoring HEV in pigs to prevent its spread and reduce human cases. The study also notes that the high positivity rate in rodents from the same region may indicate that poor rodent control measures could increase the risk of rat HEV transmission. The study's limitations include a restricted sampling area and the lack of serologic assays to confirm rat HEV infection. Future studies should focus on evaluating the presence of rat HEV in blood and tissues to better understand its transmission and pathogenesis. The findings challenge previous assumptions about pigs' susceptibility to rat HEV and emphasize the need for further research to determine the role of pigs in rat HEV epidemiology and the risk of zoonotic transmission. The study was conducted in Cordoba, Spain, and involved collaboration between multiple institutions. The results suggest that rat HEV is widespread among pig populations in the study area, with a prevalence of 11.4% in the sampled pigs. The study underscores the importance of monitoring rat HEV in farmed pigs to assess its public health impact.A study detected rat hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA in 44 of 387 farmed pigs in Spain, indicating pigs may be susceptible to rat HEV and could serve as viral intermediaries between rodents and humans. This finding suggests that pigs might contribute to the transmission of rat HEV, expanding the range of species susceptible to the virus. The study highlights the need for further evaluation of rat HEV in farmed pigs to assess public health risks. The presence of rat HEV in pigs raises concerns about its potential to spread to humans, especially given the global consumption of pork. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends monitoring HEV in pigs to prevent its spread and reduce human cases. The study also notes that the high positivity rate in rodents from the same region may indicate that poor rodent control measures could increase the risk of rat HEV transmission. The study's limitations include a restricted sampling area and the lack of serologic assays to confirm rat HEV infection. Future studies should focus on evaluating the presence of rat HEV in blood and tissues to better understand its transmission and pathogenesis. The findings challenge previous assumptions about pigs' susceptibility to rat HEV and emphasize the need for further research to determine the role of pigs in rat HEV epidemiology and the risk of zoonotic transmission. The study was conducted in Cordoba, Spain, and involved collaboration between multiple institutions. The results suggest that rat HEV is widespread among pig populations in the study area, with a prevalence of 11.4% in the sampled pigs. The study underscores the importance of monitoring rat HEV in farmed pigs to assess its public health impact.