University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database Wildlife Disease and Zoonotics 2006 Wild Boar and Red Deer Display High Prevalences of Tuberculosis- Like Lesions in Spain Joaquín Vicente IREC Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13080 Ciudad Real, Spain Ursula Höfle IREC Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13080 Ciudad Real, Spain Joseba M. Garrido NEIKER Instituto Vasco de I+D Agraria. C./Berreaga 1, 48300 Derio, Spain Isabel G. Fernández-De-Mera IREC Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13080 Ciudad Real, Spain Ramón Juste NEIKER Instituto Vasco de I+D Agraria. C./Berreaga 1, 48300 Derio, Spain See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/michbovinetb Part of the Veterinary Medicine Commons Vicente, Joaquín; Höfle, Ursula; Garrido, Joseba M.; ernández-De-MerF a, Isabel G.; Juste, Ramón; Barral, Marta; and Gortazar, Christian, "Wild Boar and Red Deer Display High Prevalences of Tuberculosis-Like Lesions in Spain" (2006). Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database. 89. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/michbovinetb/89 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Wildlife Disease and Zoonotics at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Authors Joaquín Vicente, Ursula Höfle, Joseba M. Garrido, Isabel G. ernández-De-MerF a, Ramón Juste, Marta Barral, and Christian Gortazar This article is available at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ michbovinetb/89 Vet. Res. 37 (2006) 107–119 107 © INRA, EDP Sciences, 2005 DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2005044 Original article Wild boar and red deer display high prevalences of tuberculosis-like lesions in Spain Joaquín VICENTEa*, Ursula HÖFLEa, Joseba M. GARRIDOb, Isabel G. FERNÁNDEZ-DE-MERAa, Ramón JUSTEb, Marta BARRALb, Christian GORTAZARa a IREC Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13080 Ciudad Real, Spain b NEIKER Instituto Vasco de I+D Agraria. C./Berreaga 1, 48300 Derio, Spain (Received 14 February 2005; accepted 24 June 2005) Abstract – We describe the distribution of tuberculosis-like lesions (TBL) in wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Spain. Animals with TBL were confirmed in 84.21% of mixed populations (n = 57) of red deer and wild boar and in 75% of populations of wild boar alone (n = 8) in central and southern Spain (core area). The prevalence of TBL declined towards the periphery of this region. In the core area, the prevalence ranged up to 100% in local populations of wild boar (mean estate prevalence 42.51%) and up to 50% in red deer (mean estate prevalence 13.70%). We carried out exploratory statistical analyses to describe the epidemiology of TBL in both species throughout the core area. Prevalence of TBL increased with age in both species. Wild boar and red deer mean TBL prevalence at the estate level were positively associated, and lesion scores were consistently higher in wild boars than in red deer. The wild boar prevalence of TBL in wild boar did not differ between populations that were or were not cohabiting with red deer. Amongst the wild boars with TBL, 61.19% presented generalized lesions, and the proportion of generalized cases was similar between sex and age classes. In red deer, 57.14% of TBL-positive individuals presented generalized lesions, and the percentage of generalized cases increased with age class, but did not differ between the sexes. These results highlight the potential importance of wild boar and red deer in the maintenance of tuberculosis in south central Spain. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex / tuberculosis-like lesions / red deer / Spain / wild boar 1. INTRODUCTION livestock in many countries have been related to maintenance of reservoirs of dis- Tuberculosis is of major concern in Spain ease in wildlife populations, such as the since this country was years ago, ahead of badger (Meles meles) [10] and the brushtail herd infection rates of bovine tuberculosis possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) [5]. Tuber- (BTB) of the European Union [4, 19]. Myco- culosis (TB) may however spread primarily bacteria, especially Mycobacterium bovis, from livestock prior to establishment in free- the causative agent of BTB, infect a broad living wildlife, as was the case in the Afri- host range [9, 27]. The re-emergence of can buffalo (Syncerus caffer) [32, 33] which BTB, and failure to eradicate infection in subsequently became a potential reservoir * Corresponding author: [email protected] Article published by EDP Sciences and available at http://www.edpsciences.org/vetres or http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/vetres:2005044 108 J. Vicente et al. of infection for other wildlife. In Spain, a 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS similar scenario may apply since two wild ungulate species, the red deer (Cervus elap- 2.1. Study sites hus) and the wild boar (Sus scrofa) have been reported to be infected with M. bovis Data was collected from a cross-sectional [1, 2, 15, 16, 28]. In addition, cases of fatal national survey of TB in the wild boar and tuberculosis have been described in endan- wild red deer at 76 sites in Spain (Figs. 1 and gered carnivores of the same region, such as 2). The sites were selected in order to rep- the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) [31]. To resent all biogeographically relevant land- date, the magnitude of TB infection rates scape types of the Iberian Peninsula. The and distribution in wildlife in Spain, espe- spatial distribution of the wild boar and red cially in potential reservoir species, remains deer were generally associated, but areas unknown. This information is crucial in where only wild boar were present, either order to improve and optimize resources of at very low densities (open hunting areas) control schemes. or at very high densities (intensively man- During recent decades, extensive changes aged enclosures) were also found. Sampled in land-use have been followed by a pro- hunting estates ranged in size from 408 to gressive decrease of cattle herds and a 52 000 hectares (Figs. 1 and 2). marked increase in wild ungulates, both in We will describe in more detail the prev- number and distribution, and the develop- alence of TBL in the wild boar and red deer ment of an important commercial hunting in a core area located in Ciudad Real prov- industry, especially in south central Spain. ince and its boundaries, in south central Among these wild ungulates, the wild boar Spain (37º 13' 48'' N to 39º 31' 43'' N in lat- is the most widely distributed, covering itude and from 06º 34' 06'' W to 2º 25' 54'' W almost the entire Spanish mainland, and in in longitude, Figs. 1 and 2). The habitat in the last three decades population densities this area is characterized by Quercus ilex have largely increased [14, 36]. Both wild forest and scrublands (dominated by Cystus boar and red deer are important game spe- spp., Pistacia spp., Rosmarinus spp., Erica cies in Spain, both because of its wide dis- spp. and Phyllirea spp.) with scattered pas- tribution and its great economic relevance tures and small areas of crops. This area [13]. Recent observational evidence sug- consists of two mountain chains, Montes de gests that wild boar population may be Toledo and Sierra Morena, which are con- capable of persistent maintenance of TB nected by the Guadiana river valley, a frag- infection in a cattle-free area with low red mented Mediterranean habitat. deer density [30]. Both farmed and high In the Mediterranean woodland habitats, density free-living populations of red deer most of the hunting estates are devoted have been considered TB maintenance exclusively to boar and deer hunting, and hosts elsewhere [9]. only a few still maintain cattle. Neverthe- These changes in wildlife management less, cattle had been present in most estates have already raised concerns regarding the until they were fenced for hunting purposes, control of infectious and parasitic diseases several decades ago. In contrast, uses other [11, 38, 39]. In this context, our aims were than hunting, such as agriculture and sheep the following: (a) to assess the occurrence and goat breeding, are still frequent in most and prevalence of TB-like lesions (TBL) open hunting areas. As for alternative through a nationwide survey of red deer and TB-reservoirs, badgers are scarcely found wild boar, and through an exploratory anal- in the core area at the edge of their spatial ysis, (b) to describe epidemiological pat- distribution due to environmental con- terns and (c) to investigate the relationships straints [40] and nothing is known about between the presence of TBL in both species. infection in other suitable species. Tuberculosis in red deer and wild boar in Spain 109 Figure 1. Map of peninsular Spain showing the sampling sites, the core area, the number of wild boars analyzed per site and the prevalence of TBL (percentage of grey color in relation to the whole circle). Dots represent sampling sites where less then 10 samples were obtained (grey color when TBL were found). Forests and scrublands are shown as grey contours. The sampling sites (Tab. I) are indicated within parentheses and * refer to sites where the red deer is absent. The epidemiology of TBL was evaluated in animals from the core area, also including Western Sierra Morena. 110 J. Vicente et al. Figure 2. Map of peninsular Spain showing the sampling sites, the core area, the number of red deer analyzed per site and the prevalence of TBL (percentage of grey color in relation to the whole circle).