title: Is targeted removal a suitable means for tuberculosis control in wild boar?
abstract: We assessed the suitability of targeted removal as a means for tuberculosis (TB) control on an intensely managed Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) hunting estate. The 60km2large study area included one capture (treatment) site, one control site, and one release site. Each site was fenced. In the summers of 2012, 2013 and 2014, 929 wild boar were live-captured on the treatment site. All wild boar were micro-chipped and tested using an animal side lateral flow test immediately after capture in order to detect antibodies to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). The wild boar were released according to their TB status: Seropositive individuals onto the release site (hunted after summer), and seronegative individuals back onto the treatment site. The annual summer seroprevalence of antibodies to the MTC declined significantly in live-captured wild boar piglets from the treatment site, from 44% in 2012 to 27% in 2013 (a reduction of 39%). However, no significant further reduction was recorded in 2014, during the third capture season. Fall-winter MTC infection prevalence was calculated on the basis of the culture results obtained for hunter-harvested wild boar. No significant changes between hunting seasons were recorded on either the treatment site or the control site, and prevalence trends over time were similar on both sites. The fall-winter MTC infection prevalence on the release site increased significantly from 40% in 2011-2012 to 64% in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 (60% increase). Recaptures indicated a persistently high infection pressure. This experiment, the first attempt to control TB in wild boar through targeted removal, failed to reduce TB prevalence when compared to the control site. However, it generated valuable knowledge on infection pressure and on the consequences of translocating TB-infected wild boar.
authors.affiliation: SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s.n. 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Che'Amat
authors.affiliation: SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s.n. 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Armenteros
authors.affiliation: SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s.n. 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: González-Barrio
authors.affiliation: SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s.n. 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; Sabiotec, Camino de Moledores s.n., Campus Universitario, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s.n. 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Díez-Delgado
authors.affiliation: SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s.n. 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barasona
authors.affiliation: Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria VISAVET, Avenida de Puerta de Hierro, s.n. 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Medford, New York, USA.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Lyashchenko
authors.affiliation: Medianilla Red Deer Genetics, Benalup, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.affiliation: SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s.n. 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain. Electronic address: Christian.Gortazar@uclm.es.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gortázar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Animal side test; Mycobacterium bovis; Selective culling; Sus scrofa; Wildlife disease control