title: Serologic screening for 13 infectious agents in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Flanders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to investigate the role of roe deer in the maintenance and transmission of infectious animal and human diseases in Flanders, we conducted a serologic screening in 12 hunting areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Roe deer sera collected between 2008 and 2013 (n=190) were examined for antibodies against 13 infectious agents, using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, virus neutralisation, immunofluorescence, or microagglutination test, depending on the agent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High numbers of seropositives were found for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (45.8%), Toxoplasma gondii (43.2%) and Schmallenberg virus (27.9%), the latter with a distinct temporal distribution pattern following the outbreak in domestic ruminants. Lower antibody prevalence was found for Chlamydia abortus (6.7%), tick-borne encephalitis virus (5.1%), Neospora caninum (4.8%), and Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (4.1%). The lowest prevalences were found for Leptospira (1.7%), bovine viral diarrhoea virus 1 (1.3%), and Coxiella burnetii (1.2%). No antibodies were found against Brucella sp., bovine herpesvirus 1, and bluetongue virus. A significant difference in seroprevalence between ages (higher in adults >1 year) was found for N. caninum. Four doubtful reacting sera accounted for a significant difference in seroprevalence between sexes for C. abortus (higher in females).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the more intensive landscape use in Flanders, the results are consistent with other European studies. Apart from maintaining C. abortus and MAP, roe deer do not seem to play an important role in the epidemiology of the examined zoonotic and domestic animal pathogens. Nevertheless, their meaning as sentinels should not be neglected in the absence of other wild cervid species.
authors.affiliation: WILDPAD, St-Lievens-Houtem, Belgium; paul_tavernier@skynet.be.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tavernier
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Veterinary Faculty, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stanislas U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Sys
authors.affiliation: O.D. Viral Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Clercq
authors.affiliation: O.D. Viral Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Leeuw
authors.affiliation: O.D. Viral Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne Brigitte
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Caij
authors.affiliation: O.D. Viral Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Miet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Baere
authors.affiliation: O.D. Viral Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Regge
authors.affiliation: O.D. Bacterial Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fretin
authors.affiliation: O.D. Bacterial Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Roupie
authors.affiliation: O.D. Bacterial Diseases, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Govaerts
authors.affiliation: ACOS WB, Ministry of Defence, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heyman
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanrompay
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lizi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kalmar
authors.affiliation: NRC Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, WIV-ISP, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Suin
authors.affiliation: NRC Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, WIV-ISP, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brochier
authors.affiliation: Biological Standardisation Unit, WIV-ISP, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobly
authors.affiliation: NRL Toxoplasma, WIV-ISP, Brussels, Belgium;
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Craeye
authors.affiliation: O.D. Interactions and Surveillance, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roelandt
authors.affiliation: O.D. Interactions and Surveillance, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.affiliation: O.D. Interactions and Surveillance, CODA/CERVA/VAR, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roels
keywords: antibodies; exposure; infection; pathogens; roe deer; screening; sentinel; serology