Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca: Veterinary Medicine (Nov 2020)

Preliminary Seroepidemiological Investigation Regarding Mycobacterium Avium Infection in Wild Boars and Foxes

  • Ioana Alexandra RĂȚOI,
  • Luciana Alexandra CRIVEI,
  • Daniela POREA,
  • Anca Mihaela DASCĂLU,
  • Andreea Paula COZMA,
  • Luanda Elena OȘLOBANU,
  • Dragoș Constantin ANIȚĂ,
  • Adriana ANIȚĂ,
  • Gheorghe SAVUȚA

DOI
https://doi.org/10.15835/buasvmcn-vm:2020.0010
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 77, no. 2
pp. 165 – 170

Abstract

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The present study aimed at identifying Mycobacterium avium seroprevalence in wild boars (Sus scrofa) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) samples, from the Eastern region of Romania, by using an indirect ELISA assay. A total of 367 wild animal samples were collected from eight counties: 275 wild boars sera samples from Iasi (n=209), Botosani (n=11), Bacau (n=17), Galati (n=27) and Covasna (n=11) and 92 fox samples of thoracic fluid from Iasi (n=30), Suceava (n=20), Neamt (n=19), Vaslui (n=11) and Galati (n=12). Specific antibodies were not detected in wild boar serum samples tested. From the fox samples, one was positive (1.08%), originating from Galati County. Our results may be correlated with a reduced distribution of Mycobacterium avium subspecies in the environment and a low prevalence of infections caused by these bacteria in wild animals. The current assessment shows that foxes have a limited role in the epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections.

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