Wild boar tuberculosis in Iberian Atlantic Spain: a different picture from Mediterranean habitats
BMC Veterinary Research publish this investigation article
September 8th, 2013
BACKGROUND: Infections with Mycobacterium bovis and closely related members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) are shared between livestock, wildlife and sporadically human beings. Wildlife reservoirs exist worldwide and can interfere with bovine tuberculosis (TB) eradication efforts. The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a MTC maintenance host in Mediterranean Iberia (Spain and Portugal). However, few systematic studies in wild boar have been carried out in Atlantic regions. We describe the prevalence, distribution, pathology and epidemiology of MTC and other mycobacteria from wild boar in Atlantic Spain. A total of 2,067 wild boar were sampled between 2008 and 2012. RESULTS: The results provide insight into the current status of wild boar as MTC and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) hosts in temperate regions of continental Europe. The main findings were a low TB prevalence (2.6%), a low proportion of MTC infected wild boar displaying generalized TB lesions (16.7%), and a higher proportion of MAC infections (4.5%). Molecular typing revealed epidemiological links between wild boar and domestic -- cattle, sheep and goat -- and other wildlife -- Eurasian badger (Meles meles) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) -- hosts. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the likelihood of MTC excretion by wild boar in Atlantic habitats is much lower than in Mediterranean areas. However, wild boar provide a good indicator of MTC circulation and, given the current re-emergence of animal TB, similar large-scale surveys would be advisable in other Atlantic regions of continental Europe
Munoz-Mendoza M., Marreros N., Boadella M., Gortazar C., Menendez S., de Juan L., Bezos J., Romero B., Copano MF., Amado J., Saez-Llorente JL., Mourelo J. and Balseiro A.
 | Servicio de Micobacterias (MYC). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
 | Servicio de Sanidad Animal. Consellería do Medio Rural. Xunta de Galicia. |
 | Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio). Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Universidad de Castilla La Mancha (UCLM). Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM). |
| Departamento de Biología Molecular del Laboratorio de Sanidad y Producción Animal de Galicia. Consellería do Medio Rural. Xunta de Galicia. |
 | Laboratorio de Sanidad Animal. Gobierno del Principado de Asturias. |
 | Dirección General de Sanidad de la Producción Agraria. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (MAGRAMA). |
| Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA). Gobierno del Principado de Asturias. |
