title: Exposure of extensively farmed wild boars (Sus scrofa scrofa) to selected pig pathogens in Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased density and distribution of wild boar populations are likely to promote interactions and transmission of certain pathogens, not only among wild boar but also from wild boar to livestock or humans and vice versa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine seroprevalence against seven selected pathogens in wild boar living in four different areas in Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 359 serum samples were collected from extensively farmed wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) originating from four distinct geographical areas throughout Greece from April 2012 to August 2013. Samples were tested for antibodies to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, African swine fever virus (ASFV), Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV), classical swine fever virus (CSFV), Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Prevalence was compared among the four regions using Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low overall seropositivities of 2.4% and 5.6% were detected for E. rhusiopathiae and PRRSV, respectively, higher ones for ADV (32.0%) and the highest (72.5% and 90.5%) for M. hyopneumoniae and A. pleuropneumoniae, respectively. All sera tested were found negative for antibodies directed against CSFV and ASFV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of exposure of wild boars to selected pig pathogens in Greece. These results are indicative of the circulation of these pathogens in Greece with the exception of CSFV and ASFV and suggestive of the potential role of wild boars on their maintenance and transmission to their domestic counterparts and vice versa.
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Athens Veterinary Institutes, Ministry of Rural Development and Food , Agia Paraskevi, Attiki , Greece.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Marinou
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Papatsiros
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Gkotsopoulos
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Odatzoglou
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
mesh_terms: D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016977:Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D000357:African Swine Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000358:African Swine Fever Virus / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D006691:Classical Swine Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006692:Classical Swine Fever Virus / Q000276:immunology; D004888:Erysipelothrix / Q000276:immunology; D004889:Erysipelothrix Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D011558:Herpesvirus 1, Suid / Q000276:immunology; D045705:Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D045729:Pneumonia of Swine, Mycoplasmal / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019318:Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019316:Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus / Q000276:immunology; D011557:Pseudorabies / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: ASFV; Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae; Aujeszky's disease; CSFV; Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae; Greece; Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae; PRRSV; Sus scrofa scrofa; wild boar