title: Serological investigation of wild boars (Sus scrofa) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) as indicator animals for circulation of Francisella tularensis in Germany.
abstract: Tularemia outbreaks in humans have recently been reported in many European countries, but data on the occurrence in the animal population are scarce. In North America, seroconversion of omnivores and carnivores was used as indicator for the presence of tularemia, for the European fauna, however, data are barely available. Therefore, the suitability of wild boars (Sus scrofa) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) as indicators for the circulation of F. tularensis in Germany was evaluated. Serum samples from 566 wild boars and 457 red foxes were collected between 1995 and 2012 in three federal states in Central Germany (Hesse, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia). The overall rate of seropositive animals was 1.1% in wild boars and 7.4% in red foxes. In conclusion, serological examination of red foxes is recommended, because they can be reliably used as indicator animals for the presence of F. tularensis in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health , Jena, Germany .
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chaignat
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klimpel
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diller
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melzer
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomaso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005589:Foxes / Q000382:microbiology*; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial