Abstract

BackgroundThe goal of this study was describing the temporal evolution of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) contact prevalence among Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations under different management regimes and contact likelihoods with domestic pigs. Given the recent increase in wild boar abundance throughout Europe, we hypothesized that wild boar contact with ADV would remain stable in time even after significant reduction of ADV prevalence in domestic pigs.ResultsSera from 1659 wild boar were collected from 2000 to 2010 within 6 areas of the Iberian Peninsula and tested for the presence of antibodies against ADV by ELISA. According to sampling date, wild boar were grouped into three time periods. ADV prevalence was compared through period both globally and by geographic area. Overall seroprevalence for the ten-year study period was 49.6 ± 2.4%. The highest seroprevalence was recorded in areas with intense wild boar management. The annual proportion of positive wild boar sampling sites remained stable through the study period, while the percentage of domestic pig AD positive counties decreased from 70% in 2003 to 1.7% in 2010.ConclusionsResults presented herein confirmed our hypothesis that ADV would remain almost stable in wild boar populations. This evidences the increasing risk wild boar pose in the final stages of ADV eradication in pigs and for wildlife conservation.

Highlights

  • The goal of this study was describing the temporal evolution of Aujeszky’s disease virus (ADV) contact prevalence among Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations under different management regimes and contact likelihoods with domestic pigs

  • The highest mean seroprevalences were recorded in areas where intense wild boar management was present: Montes de Toledo (MT) (61.4 ± 3.4% [Rogan-Gladen corrections (RGC): 63.5 ± 3.4%]) and Sierra Morena (SM) (54.6 ± 5.1% [RGC: 56.1 ± 5.1%])

  • In TO area, ADV contact appeared for the first time in the period 2004-2007 (12.3 ± 8.5% [RGC: 10.1 ± 7.8%]) and increased in the following period (Figure 1)

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Summary

Introduction

The goal of this study was describing the temporal evolution of Aujeszky’s disease virus (ADV) contact prevalence among Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations under different management regimes and contact likelihoods with domestic pigs. Mammals other than suids are considered dead-end hosts since infection is normally fatal before virus excretion occurs. Other endangered carnivores such as the brown bear (Ursus arctos) and the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) do occasionally consume wild boar among their prey or carrion species [8,9], and may be at risk of ADV infection (e.g. fatal ADV reports in brown bears [5,10])

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