ANATOMOPATHOLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL EVALUATIONS IN WILD BOARS SLAUGHTERED IN THE STATE OF SANTA CATARINA
Animals, wild boar, necropsies, diseases, pathogens.
Wild pigs represent a potential source of dissemination of pathogens of importance and impact for animal and public health, acting as reservoirs for a long list of zoonotic agents.The aim of this study was to examine the health conditions of slaughtered wild boars for population control in the State of Santa Catarina and to evaluate the potential risks of disease transmission to humans, as well as species of economic interest such as swine and cattle. Laboratory tests were carried out using tissue, organ and blood samples collected in the field of 60 animals with support from the Laboratório de Sanidade Animal of Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária and the Centro de Diagnóstico de Sanidade Animal in Concórdia/SC, for the serological and microbiological evaluations for the detection of pathogens and Laboratório de Patologia do Instituto Federal Catarinense, for histopathological evaluations of the biological materials collected. The partial serological results of all wild boar slaughtered in Santa Catarina in 2017 and 2018 were: Brucella sp. 0% (0/174); classical swine fever 0% (0/174); Leptospira sp. 7.96% (9/113); Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae 21.38% (34/159); Porcine Circovirus Type 2 34.18% (54/158); Hepatitis E Virus 8.86% (14/158); Influenza A virus 8.86% (14/158). At necropsy, the main lesions were pulmonary parasites (metastrongylids), hemorrhagic lymph nodes, renal infartion and atrophy, and injuries due to animal slaughter by firearm. However, macroscopic alterations of great relevance were not observed, such as characteristic lesions of tuberculosis or cysticercosis. Samples were not histopathologically evaluated so far. The results show that these animals pose risks to both public and animal health, and due to their free living and wandering behavior, they can access cattle and swine herds. Therefore, studies should be intensified in the state and in Brazil to evaluate what pathogens they can be carriers.