Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne zoonosis in the northern hemisphere. Several vertebrates are crucial in the epidemiological cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, but the role of wild boar as a reservoir is still unknown. Sera were collected from 90 wild boars shot in the Trás-os-Montes region, Northern Portugal (hunting season 2011/2012). In this study, Borrelia DNA was detected for the first time by nested-PCR in three different sera, suggesting that the wild boar may be a potential reservoir for this spirochete. Sequencing results show 100% similarity with Borrelia afzelii. Further studies are needed to evaluate the public health risks associated with boar hunting.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 183-187 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | EcoHealth |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2015 |
Keywords
- Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato
- fla gene
- Lyme borreliosis
- Northern Portugal
- One Health
- PCR
- wild boar
- zoonosis