Tuberculosis in Wild Pigs from Argentina

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• Zoonotic Diseases
• Wildlife Epidemiology

Background:

• Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infects various mammals, posing a zoonotic risk.
• While cattle are primary hosts, wildlife significantly contributes to M. bovis transmission globally.
• In Argentina, wild and domestic pigs are key in mammalian tuberculosis (mTB) cycles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detect M. bovis in Argentine wild pigs.
• To genetically characterize M. bovis isolates from wild pigs.
• To compare these isolates with those from other hosts.

Main Methods:

• Sampling of 311 wild pigs across different Argentine regions.
• Bacteriological culture for isolation of mycobacteria.
• Molecular identification and spoligotyping for M. bovis characterization.

Main Results:

• Sixty-three isolates were obtained: 34 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) and 29 non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM).
• Prevalence of MTC in wild pigs was estimated at 11.2% ± 1.8%.
• Twelve M. bovis spoligotypes were identified, with significant overlap with cattle, domestic pigs, and other wildlife.

Conclusions:

• Wild pigs serve as important reservoirs for M. bovis in Argentina.
• Shared spoligotypes indicate M. bovis circulation among wildlife, domestic pigs, and cattle.
• Extensive farming practices in Argentina facilitate mTB transmission at the wildlife-livestock-human interface.