Salmonella spp. in wild boar (Sus scrofa): a public and animal health concern

Abstract

Wild boars constitute a potential reservoir and may spread zoonotic agents, including Salmonella sp. and thus they represent a source of infection for (wild and domestic) animals and humans. During the 2006 hunting season, 77 rectal faecal samples from animals shot by hunters in Northern Portugal were collected and analysed to determine the prevalence and serovars of Salmonella sp. in wild boars (Sus scrofa). The results showed that 17 (22.1%) were positive for Salmonella sp. In these positive samples, the most prevalent serovar was Salmonella Typhimurium, identified in 11 (64.7%) isolates, followed by Salmonella Rissen in 6 (35.3%). These results confirm the importance of wild boar as a reservoir of pathogenic serovars of Salmonella and as a potential risk for humans and livestock and emphasise the importance of intervention procedures for improving surveillance.