Detection of Babesia spp. and Anaplasma spp. in Wild Boars from Romania

While wild boars (Sus scrofa) can act as hosts and reservoirs for various tick-borne pathogens, including Babesia spp. and Anaplasma spp., relevant data from Romania remain scarce. This study aimed to detect these agents in blood samples collected from 321 wild boars across nine Romanian counties between 2021 and 2024. Molecular screening using real-time PCR revealed a prevalence of 6.85% for Babesia spp. and 9.34% for Anaplasma spp. Sequencing confirmed the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in four randomly selected positive samples, and the results for Babesia spp. represent the first detection of these pathogens in Romanian wild boars. These findings indicate that wild boars could contribute to the maintenance of tick-borne pathogens in natural ecosystems, and might represent a source of infection for other animals or even humans. The presented data can serve as a baseline for future comparative studies and may guide targeted control measures to reduce the potential spread of tick-borne pathogens through wild boar populations in Romania. Ongoing molecular monitoring, together with more detailed species identification, will help to clarify the epidemiological relevance of these pathogens and support effective wildlife and public health strategies in Romania.