title: Wild boar tuberculosis in Iberian Atlantic Spain: a different picture from Mediterranean habitats.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: SERIDA, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario, Centro de Biotecnología Animal, Deva-Gijón, Asturias, 33394, Spain. abalseiro@serida.org.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Mendoza
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marreros
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boadella
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gortázar
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Juan
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bezos
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: María Francisca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Copano
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amado
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sáez
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mourelo
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balseiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D034421:Sus scrofa