Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite, infecting a wide range of warm-blooded animals. The Swedish wild boar population is expanding and increased hunting provides its meat to a growing group of consumers. We performed a spatio-temporal investigation of T. gondii seroprevalence in Swedish wild boars. An ELISA was set up and evaluated against a commercial direct agglutination test, using Bayesian latent class analysis. The ELISA sensitivity and specificity were estimated to 79% and 85%, respectively. Of 1327 serum samples, 50% were positive. Thirty-four per cent of young wild boars and 55% of adults were positive (P<0·001). The total seroprevalence ranged from 72% in 2005 to 38% in 2011 (P<0·001), suggesting a declining trend. The highest seroprevalence, 65%, was recorded in South Sweden. In other regions it varied from 29% in Stockholm to 46% in East Middle Sweden.

Keywords

Monitoring; serological screening; test evaluation; Toxoplasma gondii; wild boar

Published in

Epidemiology and Infection
2015, Volume: 143, number: 9, pages: 1913-1921

SLU Authors

• Wallander, Camilla

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Frössling, Jenny

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • National Veterinary Institute (SVA)

• Vågsholm, Ivar

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Uggla, Arvid

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lunden, Anna

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • National Veterinary Institute (SVA)

UKÄ Subject classification

Pathobiology
Zoology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268814002891

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/65360