Shedding patterns of endemic Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) pathogens

- We identify shedding routes of pathogens shared by wild boar and livestock.
- In high seroprevalent wild boar populations, endemic pathogens are shed at low prevalence.
- Shedding patterns of ADV suggest predominant venereal transmission between sexes.
- Shedding patterns of PCV2 and PPV suggest predominant oronasal transmission.
- Coxiella burnetii may be venereally transmitted in wild boar.

The Eurasian wild boar has experienced a worldwide demographic explosion that increases awareness on shared pathogens. However, shedding routes of relevant wild boar pathogens are unknown. Previous observations on sex- and age-related differences in Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) exposure led us to hypothesize that shedding patterns of endemic wild boar pathogens may be influenced by individual traits. We investigated shedding routes of ADV, porcine parvovirus (PPV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and Coxiella burnetii and analysed the effect of host sex and age on pathogen shedding patterns. The presence of pathogen antibodies in serum and of pathogen DNA in oral, nasal, genital and rectal swabs was analysed by ELISA and PCR, respectively. The influence of sex and age in pathogen shedding prevalence was tested statistically. Main routes of ADV, PPV, PCV2 and C. burnetii shedding were identified but the hypothesis of sex- and/or age-related shedding patterns couldn't be confirmed.