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First Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNA in Serum of the Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) in Northern Portugal by Nested-PCR

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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.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Francisco Morinha for technical assistance in the molecular analysis. We would also like to thank Eduardo Sousa, Bruno Vinhas and the hunting associations and hunt organizers for their collaboration and support during field work carried out during the wild boar hunting season of 2011/12 in the Trás-os-Montes region. This study was supported by funding from several ecological monitoring projects of the Laboratory of Applied Ecology (University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD) and by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Project PEst-OE/AGR/UI4033/2014.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, P.O. Box 1013, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal

    Ana S. Faria, Maria das Neves Paiva-Cardoso, Hélia M. Vale-Gonçalves, Octávia Veloso & Madalena Vieira-Pinto

  2. Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal

    Ana S. Faria, Maria das Neves Paiva-Cardoso, Hélia M. Vale-Gonçalves & João A. Cabral

  3. Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal

    Maria das Neves Paiva-Cardoso, Catarina Coelho & Madalena Vieira-Pinto

  4. Group of Leptospirosis and Lyme Borreliosis, Unit of Medical Microbiology, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (IHMT) and Centre for Microbial Resources (CREM), Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT), New University of Lisbon (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal

    Mónica Nunes, Teresa Carreira & Maria L. Vieira

  5. Agrarian School of Viseu (ESAV), Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal

    Catarina Coelho

  6. Laboratory of Sanitary Inspection, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal

    Catarina Coelho & Madalena Vieira-Pinto

Authors
  1. Ana S. Faria
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  2. Maria das Neves Paiva-Cardoso
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  3. Mónica Nunes
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  4. Teresa Carreira
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  5. Hélia M. Vale-Gonçalves
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  6. Octávia Veloso
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  7. Catarina Coelho
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  8. João A. Cabral
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  9. Madalena Vieira-Pinto
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  10. Maria L. Vieira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria das Neves Paiva-Cardoso.

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Faria, A.S., Paiva-Cardoso, M.d.N., Nunes, M. et al. First Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNA in Serum of the Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) in Northern Portugal by Nested-PCR. EcoHealth 12, 183–187 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-014-0973-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-014-0973-4

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