Speaker
Description
Brucella suis biovar 2 is widely distributed among wildlife populations in Europe, where wild boars are an important reservoir host. The pathogen occasionally transmits to domestic pigs, especially in regions with extensive outdoor pig farming. Given its low pathogenicity for humans and the rarity of reported human cases, surveillance primarily focuses on understanding infection dynamics at the wildlife–livestock interface.
Here, we describe the prevalence of B. suis bv. 2 in wild boars from Brandenburg and the Harz region in Eastern Germany. More than 100 spleens, collected between November 2025 and January 2026, were analyzed by qPCR targeting the Brucella-specific bcsp31 gene and used for the isolation of bacteria. Brucella DNA was detected in approx. 8% of the investigated animals, whereas successful bacterial isolation was achieved less frequently. These findings are consistent with recent reports on the occurrence of B. suis bv. 2 in wild boar populations from Southeastern Germany, indicating its continued circulation in German wildlife.
The detection of Brucella suis bv. 2 in wild boars from different regions of Germany is consistent with its established occurrence in European wildlife. Continued surveillance of wild boar populations can improve understanding of the pathogen’s distribution and temporal trends in Germany and support animal-health monitoring and evidence-based assessment of its epidemiological relevance at the wildlife–livestock interface.
Keywords
Brucella suis, Wild Boar
| Registration ID | OHS26-140 |
|---|---|
| Professional Status of the Speaker | Senior Scientist |
| Junior Scientist Status | No, I am not a Junior Scientist. |
Author
Co-authors
External references
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