Abstract
To evaluate recent developments regarding the epidemiological situation of pseudorabies virus (PRV) infections in wild boar populations in Germany, nationwide serological monitoring was conducted between 2010 and 2015. During this period, a total of 108,748 sera from wild boars were tested for the presence of PRV-specific antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The overall PRV seroprevalence was estimated at 12.09% for Germany. A significant increase in seroprevalence was observed in recent years indicating both a further spatial spread and strong disease dynamics. For spatiotemporal analysis, data from 1985 to 2009 from previous studies were incorporated. The analysis revealed that PRV infections in wild boar were endemic in all German federal states; the affected area covers at least 48.5% of the German territory. There were marked differences in seroprevalence at district levels as well as in the relative risk (RR) of infection of wild boar throughout Germany. We identified several smaller clusters and one large region, where the RR was two to four times higher as compared to the remaining areas under investigation. Based on the present monitoring intensity and outcome, we provide recommendations with respect to future monitoring efforts concerning PRV infections in wild boar in Germany.
Highlights
Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that causes Aujeszky’s disease (AD), which affects swine and other mammals [1]
Serosurveys have confirmed the occurrence of PRV infection in populations of wild boar and feral swine in at least 16 European countries and the US
108,748 wild boar blood samples were collected in the 14 major territorial federal states of Germany
Summary
Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that causes Aujeszky’s disease (AD), which affects swine and other mammals [1]. Despite considerable advances in controlling and eliminating the disease in domestic pig populations in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand in the recent past [1,3,4,5], there has been increasing evidence for the widespread occurrence of PRV in populations of free-roaming and farmed wild swine—an umbrella term for both true wild boar and feral swine as well as hybrids thereof—in many regions of its range [6,7,8]. Serosurveys have confirmed the occurrence of PRV infection in populations of wild boar and feral swine in at least 16 European countries and the US. These data indicate a large-scale but patchy distribution pattern with seroprevalences ranging
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