The Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) shared new research showing that viruses carried by rodents are more common in Cambodia than previously thought.

The study focused on three rodent-borne viruses: orthohantaviruses, mammarenaviruses and rat hepatitis E virus. Research teams worked in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, studying both rodents and people.

Nearly 1 out of 10 rodents carried at least one of these viruses. The risk was highest in cities, where contact between humans and rodents was more frequent.

“These viruses were circulating quietly and needed more public health attention,” said Dr. Janin Nouhin, Deputy Head of the Virology Unit at IPC. “Better waste management, rodent control and public awareness could help reduce these risks.”

The study underscores IPC’s leadership in One Health research and its commitment to addressing neglected infectious diseases to better protect public health in Cambodia.