Wild boars (Sus scrofa) are indigenous in many countries in the world. These free-living swine are known reservoirs for a number of viruses, bacteria and parasites that are transmissible to domestic ...animals and humans. Changes of human habitation to suburban areas, increased use of lands for agricultural purposes, increased hunting activities and consumption of wild boar meat have increased the chances of exposure of wild boars to domestic animals and humans. Wild boars can act as reservoirs for many important infectious diseases in domestic animals, such as classical swine fever, brucellosis and trichinellosis, and in humans, diseases such as hepatitis E, tuberculosis, leptospirosis and trichinellosis. For examples, wild boars are reservoirs for hepatitis E virus, and cluster cases of hepatitis E have been reported in Japan of humans who consumed wild boar meat. In Canada, an outbreak of trichinellosis was linked to the consumption of wild boar meat. The incidence of tuberculosis owing to Mycobacterium bovis has increased in wild boars, thus posing a potential concern for infections in livestock and humans. It has also been documented that six hunters contracted Brucella suis infections from wild swine in Florida. This article discusses the prevalence and risk of infectious agents in wild boars and their potential transmission to livestock and humans.
•Review compiling current knowledge of African swine fever pathogenesis.•Description and discussion of clinical and pathomorphological correlates.•Lessons learned from recent animals ...trials.•Definition of research gaps.
Over the last decade, African swine fever (ASF) has changed from an exotic disease of Sub-Saharan Africa to a considerable and serious threat to pig industry in Central Europe and Asia. With the introduction of genotype II strains into the European Union in 2014, the disease has apparently found a fertile breeding ground in the abundant wild boar population. Upon infection with highly virulent ASF virus (ASFV), a haemorrhagic fever like illness with high lethality is seen in naïve domestic pigs and wild boar. Despite intensive research, virulence factors, host-virus interactions and pathogenesis are still far from being understood, and neither vaccines nor treatment exist. However, to better understand the disease, and to work towards a safe and efficacious vaccine, this information is needed. The presented review targets the knowledge gained over the last five years with regard to ASF pathogenesis in the broader sense but with a focus on the pandemic genotype II strains. In this way, it is designed as an update and supplement to existing review articles on the same topic.
African swine fever is a growing threat to the livestock industry. We examined data indicating that in most countries in Asia, most notified events were related to farm outbreaks; meanwhile, only a ...few wild boar cases were reported. We hypothesize the virus circulates unnoticed in wild boar populations in Asia.
The aim of our study was to determine the effect of age on protein, fat and water content in venison of wild boar (Sus scrofa). The musculus semimembranosus was sampled for the analyses. Monitoring ...of wild boar was realized in November and December 2016 in hunting region JXXVIII Tribeč (Western Slovakia, mountain range of Tribeč). Analysis of basic nutritive components of venison were determined with FoodScan LAB Analyzer (FOSS, Denmark) – NIR technology. The highest obtained average value of fat content was detected in piglets 4.45%, the lowest average value was in one year old individuals, 2.85%. There was no statistically significant difference in fat content (P˃0.05).The highest average value of protein content was found out in two years old animals and presents 23.31%. The lowest value was determined in group of piglets that reached 22.08%. A statistically significant difference was determined in protein content values (P<0.05). The lowest average value of water content was found out in the group of three years old individuals (69.87%) and the highest content, 72.47% in one year old group in the water content. There was no statistically significant difference (P˃0.05) in water content of venison. However, the age is still considered as a factor influencing the meat quality also from the point of view of human nutrition both of chemical traits.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of sex on content of some chosen fatty acids in wild boar venison. Soxhlet method of extraction and gravimetric method were used. Relative content ...of fatty acids in clear intramuscular fat was determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector on Agilent 689A GC apparatus. Analyses of each fatty acid show differences in all samples of meat being analysed. The differences are as follows: the average values reached 0,81 % in males and 0,82 % in females in alpha – linolenic acid, the average values reached 15,86 % in males and 14,01 % in females in linoleic acid, the average values reached 2,71 % in males and 2,98 % in females in palmitoleic acid. No statistical significance were determined in this differences (P>0.05). The next analyses show follow differences: the average values reached 43,15 % in males and 44,62 % in females in oleic acid, acid the average values reached 0,42 % in males and 0,48 % in females in arachidonic, significant importance (P<0.05) were determined. According to our result we can state that gender present relevant factor influencing the fatty acids content in intramuscular fat in some fatty acids.
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host health and metabolism. This study explores the differences in gut microbiota and metabolites between domestic pigs (DP) and wild boars (WB) in urban ...environments. We analyzed gut microbial composition, metabolic profiles, virome composition, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) in both DP and WB. Our results revealed that DP exhibited a higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and were enriched in bacterial genera associated with domestication and modern feeding practices. Metabolomic analysis showed distinct profiles, with WB significantly enriched in the Pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis pathway, highlighting dietary and environmental influences on host metabolism. Additionally, DP had a distinct gut virome composition, particularly enriched in lytic phages of the Chaseviridae family. ARG analysis indicated a higher abundance of tetracycline resistance genes in DP, likely due to antibiotic use in pig farms. Furthermore, variations in HPB composition underscored potential health risks associated with contact with pig feces. These findings provide valuable insights into the microbial ecology of domestic pigs and wild boars, emphasizing the importance of these comparisons in identifying zoonotic pathogen transmission pathways and managing antibiotic resistance. Continued research in this area is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate public health risks and promote sustainable livestock management practices.The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host health and metabolism. This study explores the differences in gut microbiota and metabolites between domestic pigs (DP) and wild boars (WB) in urban environments. We analyzed gut microbial composition, metabolic profiles, virome composition, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) in both DP and WB. Our results revealed that DP exhibited a higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and were enriched in bacterial genera associated with domestication and modern feeding practices. Metabolomic analysis showed distinct profiles, with WB significantly enriched in the Pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis pathway, highlighting dietary and environmental influences on host metabolism. Additionally, DP had a distinct gut virome composition, particularly enriched in lytic phages of the Chaseviridae family. ARG analysis indicated a higher abundance of tetracycline resistance genes in DP, likely due to antibiotic use in pig farms. Furthermore, variations in HPB composition underscored potential health risks associated with contact with pig feces. These findings provide valuable insights into the microbial ecology of domestic pigs and wild boars, emphasizing the importance of these comparisons in identifying zoonotic pathogen transmission pathways and managing antibiotic resistance. Continued research in this area is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate public health risks and promote sustainable livestock management practices.
Wild boar Sus scrofa populations have increased dramatically in recent decades throughout Europe. While hunting is widely used in management activities; it rarely has an important role in regulating ...and reducing wild boar populations. Therefore, increasing the efficiency of hunting is a compelling issue. In this study, we used a three-year dataset (2016–2018) on a wild boar population living in Campania (southern Italy) as a case study to explore how the hunting effort made in collective drive hunts affected the hunting rate, estimated as the number of individuals culled per day. We fitted a Linear Mixed Model, in which we included the number of wild boars culled per drive hunt as the dependent variable, and the number of beaters, shooters and dogs and the month during which hunting occurred as the predictors. A mean of 1.81 wild boars were culled per drive hunt. The number of culled animals per hunt increased with the increasing number of hunting dogs and with the progression of the hunting season (i.e., from October to December), whereas the number of beaters and shooters had no effect. Overall, we observed a low hunting rate. We suggest that adjusting the hunting calendar and reorganising wild boar collective hunts, e.g., through an appropriate management of the number and training of hunting dogs, are essential to increase the hunting rate. Our results can be useful for wildlife managers to enhance hunting contribution in counteracting the negative impact of wild boar.
We detected African swine fever virus (ASFV) from a wild boar in Singapore. In <72 hours, we confirmed and reported ASFV p72 genotype II, CD2v serogroup 8, and IGR-II variant by using a combination ...of real-time PCR and whole-genome sequencing. Continued biosurveillance will be needed to monitor ASFV in Singapore.
African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the sole member of the family
, and the only known DNA arbovirus. Since its identification in Kenya in 1921, ASFV has remained endemic in Africa, maintained in a ...sylvatic cycle between
soft ticks and warthogs (
) which do not develop clinical disease with ASFV infection. However, ASFV causes a devastating and economically significant disease of domestic (
and feral (
) swine. There is no ASFV vaccine available, and current control measures consist of strict animal quarantine and culling procedures. The virus is highly stable and easily spreads by infected swine, contaminated pork products and fomites, or via transmission by the
vector. Competent
argasid soft tick vectors are known to exist not only in Africa, but also in parts of Europe and the Americas. Once ASFV is established in the argasid soft tick vector, eradication can be difficult due to the long lifespan of
ticks and their proclivity to inhabit the burrows of warthogs or pens and shelters of domestic pigs. Establishment of endemic ASFV infections in wild boar populations further complicates the control of ASF. Between the late 1950s and early 1980s, ASFV emerged in Europe, Russia and South America, but was mostly eradicated by the mid-1990s. In 2007, a highly virulent genotype II ASFV strain emerged in the Caucasus region and subsequently spread into the Russian Federation and Europe, where it has continued to circulate and spread. Most recently, ASFV emerged in China and has now spread to several neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. The high morbidity and mortality associated with ASFV, the lack of an efficacious vaccine, and the complex makeup of the ASFV virion and genome as well as its lifecycle, make this pathogen a serious threat to the global swine industry and national economies. Topics covered by this review include factors important for ASFV infection, replication, maintenance, and transmission, with attention to the role of the argasid tick vector and the sylvatic transmission cycle, current and future control strategies for ASF, and knowledge gaps regarding the virus itself, its vector and host species.
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