Isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila in the respiratory tract of wild boar: pathologic implications.
Aeromonas hydrophila has been repeatedly reported as an animal pathogen. This study describes a case of a wild boar piglet in Spain with severe purulent pneumonia caused by A. hydrophila. To confirm the presence of A. hydrophila in the respiratory tract of wild boars from the same region, lung samples from 34 adult hunted animals and nasal samples from 12 live animals were collected and cultured in selective medium. Lung lesions were studied in hunted wild boars to determine the presence of A. hydrophila and to assess its role as a possible respiratory pathogen in wild boars. A. hydrophila was isolated in 10.87% of the animals studied (8.82% of the dead animals and 16% of the live animals). However, its presence in the lungs of adults could not be correlated with the lesions found. Thus, the role of A. hydrophila as a respiratory pathogen is likely to be influenced by other factors, such as age, immunologic status, or coinfection with other pathogens. As a zoonotic pathogen, the presence of A. hydrophila in wild boars may pose a potential risk to people who consume their flesh.
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain. riscope@unex.es
David
D
Risco
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Pedro
P
Fernández-Llario
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Jesús M
JM
Cuesta
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
José M
JM
Benitez-Medina
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Waldo L
WL
García-Jiménez
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Remigio
R
Martínez
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Pilar
P
Gonçalves
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Javier
J
Hermoso de Mendoza
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Luis
L
Gómez
Departamento Patología Infecciosa, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10.003 Caceres, Spain.
Alfredo
A
García
D016980:Aeromonas hydrophila / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D034421:Sus scrofa