Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 56 No. 2, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.56.2.8
The occurrence of Leptospira spp. serogroup Pomona infections in wild boars
Marinela Tadić
; Srednja škola Petrinja, Hrvatska
Dean Konjević
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučiišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Vesna Mojčec Perko
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučiišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Zrinka Štritof
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Iva Zečević
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Iva Benvin
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Zoran Milas
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Nenad Turk
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Miljenko Bujanić
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Suzana Hađina
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
*
Josipa Habuš
; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by different pathogenic serovars of the genus Leptospira, with very complex aetiology and epidemiology. Recent publications suggest that wild boar (Sus scrofa) has an important role in the epizootiology of leptospirosis, representing a potential source of infection. Wild boar populations in urban environments are increasing, posing not only agricultural and ecosystem concerns, but also a public health concern. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, temporal patterns and risk factors of Pomona infection in wild boars from areas with pronounced human activity. A total of 159 wild boar serum samples were collected within a health monitoring project in Medvednica Nature Park over a period of six hunting seasons (2012–2016; 2018) and 25.2% samples tested positive. Seropositivity against seven different serogroups was observed, with the highest number of positive reactions to the serogroup Pomona. Annual variation in Pomona reactivity was also detected, and positive reactions were five times more common in females than in males. In most of studies, adults had a higher seroprevalence than younger categories; however, in this study,
seroprevalence against Pomona was higher in piglets and subadults. The results indicate that wild boar has the potential of maintaining serovars from the serogroup Pomona in certain natural foci. Due to the expansion of wild boar populations and their intrusion into urban areas, they should be considered a potentially important source of infection for humans and domestic animals.
Keywords
leptospirosis; wild boar; Pomona
Hrčak ID:
319609
URI
Publication date:
14.8.2024.
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