title: Seroepidemiologic survey for Chlamydia suis in wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations in Italy.
abstract: We used serology to estimate the prevalence of exposure to chlamydiae in Italian populations of wild boars (Sus scrofa). Sera from 173 hunter-killed wild boars harvested during the 2006-2009 hunting seasons in three Italian regions were tested for antibodies to Chlamydia suis, Chlamydophila pecorum, Chlamydophila abortus, and Chlamydophila psittaci by the microimmunofluorescence test. Antibody titers to chlamydiae ≥ 1:32 were detected in 110 of the 173 samples tested (63.6%). Specific reactivity could be assessed only in 44 sera with antibody titers to C. suis that were two- to threefold higher than antibody titers against the other chlamydial species; the other 66 sera had similar reactivity against all the chlamydia species tested. Antibody to C. suis was detected in sera from wild boar populations with rare or no known contact with domestic pigs. These results suggest that the wild boar could be a chlamydia reservoir and may acquire chlamydiae independent of contacts with the domestic pig.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Università di Bologna, V. Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy. antoniet.difrancesco@unibo.it
authors: Antonietta
authors: A
authors: Di Francesco
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Donati
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: Morandi
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Renzi
authors: Marco Antonio
authors: MA
authors: Masia
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Ostanello
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Salvatore
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Cevenini
authors: Raffaella
authors: R
authors: Baldelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002689:Chlamydia / Q000276:immunology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial