Abstract:In the recent years, the wild boar (Sus scrofa) trade has increased in Brazil. The present study aimed to detect Leptospira spp. infection in 308 blood samples from wild boars bred in São Paulo state, Brazil. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was performed using 29 serovars. Sixty three (63; 20.45%) animals tested positive against the serovars Hardjo (29/63; 46.0%), Copenhageni (11/63; 17.4%), Pomona (8/63; 12.7%), Pyrogenes (4/63; 6.3%), Wolfii (4/63; 6.3%), Autumnalis (3/63; 4.7%), Icterohaemorraghiae (2/63; 3.1%), and Hardjo-miniswajezak (1/63; 15.8%). These results indicate that captive wild boars were infected with Leptospira spp. and may represent a source of infection to humans and other animals.Key words: wild boar, Sus scrofa, Leptospira spp., MAT, zoonosis.
Short CommuniCation
The Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases ISSN 1678-9199 | 2011 | volume 17 | issue 1 | pages 94-97Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a European species brought into South America to be used in hunting games (1). The first commercial breeding facilities in Brazil were established in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the 1980s due to the increasing interest in this type of meat (2). Leptospirosis -a worldwide infectious disease that affects humans, domestic and wild animals -is caused by Leptospira bacteria and may lead to severe clinical signs, such as reproductive disorders in cattle and swine, besides hemorrhage and renal failure in humans (3, 4). Animals infected with leptospirosis can eliminate the pathogen into the environment, acting as a source of infection (5). Due to the increasing trade of wild boar meat in Brazil, the aim of the present study was to detect Leptospira spp. infection in this species (6).Blood samples were collected from 308 wild boars, 198 (96 females and 102 males) of which were obtained from a slaughterhouse, and 110 (57 females and 53 males) from a farm, both located in São Paulo state, Brazil. Most animals were aged between 6 and 8 months. Although it was not possible to investigate the origin of the slaughterhouse animals, it is known that they were from farms located in São Paulo state. The animals from the farm were bred in an intensive system and received corn and vegetable-based feed.Samples were sent to the laboratory of the Zoonosis Research Center (NUPEZO) of the São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo state, Brazil. They were analyzed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT), and screened for 29 serovars: Australis, Butembo, Canicola, Djasiman, Hebdomadis, Javanica, Pyrogenes, Shermani, Bratislava, Castellonis, Whitcombi, Sentot, Copenhageni, Panama, Tarassovi, Autumnalis, Bataviae, Cynopteri, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona, Wolffi, Andamana, Patoc, Hardjo, Hardjo-C.T.G., Hardjo-prajitno, Hardjo-bovis, and Hardjominiswajezak. Sera were initially tested at 1:100 dilution, and than those samples presenting positive agglutination were two-fold diluted until
