title: First TBEV serological screening in Flemish wild boar.
abstract: In the frame of a Flemish wildlife surveillance in 2013, a serological screening was performed on sera from wild boar (Sus scrofa; n=238) in order to detect tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV)-specific antibodies. Neutralising antibodies were titrated with a seroneutralisation test (SNT), using two cut-off titres (1/10-1/15). Seven wild boars were found TBEV-seropositive and showed moderate (>1/15) to high (>1/125) SNT-titres; three individuals had borderline results (1/10-1/15). This study demonstrated the presence of TBEV-specific antibodies in wild boar and highlighted potential TBEV-foci in Flanders. Additional surveillance including direct virus testing is now recommended.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology, Risk Assessment and Surveillance (ERASURV), Operational Directorate of Interactions and Surveillance, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CODA-CERVA), Brussels, Belgium; sophie.roelandt@coda-cerva.be.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roelandt
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre of TBEV, Viral Diseases, Communicable and Infectious Diseases, Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Suin
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology, Risk Assessment and Surveillance (ERASURV), Operational Directorate of Interactions and Surveillance, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CODA-CERVA), Brussels, Belgium.|Department of Veterinary Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Van der Stede
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre of TBEV, Viral Diseases, Communicable and Infectious Diseases, Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lamoral
authors.affiliation: Unit of Avian Virology and Immunology, Operational Directorate of Virology, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CODA-CERVA), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marche
authors.affiliation: Unit of Enzootic and (Re-)Emerging Diseases, Operational Directorate of Virology, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CODA-CERVA), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marylène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tignon
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Saiz
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escribano-Romero
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casaer
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre of TBEV, Viral Diseases, Communicable and Infectious Diseases, Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brochier
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre of TBEV, Viral Diseases, Communicable and Infectious Diseases, Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP), Brussels, Belgium.|Laboratory of Virology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Gucht
authors.affiliation: Unit of Orientation and Veterinary Support (OVS), Operational Directorate of Interactions and Surveillance, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CODA-CERVA), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roels
authors.affiliation: Unit Strategy and Innovation, Wildlife Disease Management, Flemish Agency for Nature and Forestry (ANB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vervaeke
keywords: endemic focus; sentinel surveillance; seroneutralisation test SNT; tick-borne encephalitis (virus) TBE(V); wild boar