Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Salmonella in Hunted Wild Boars from Two Different Regions in Switzerland

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii and Salmonella are zoonotic foodborne pathogens that may be transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, including game. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii and Salmonella antibodies in wild boars in two different regions in Switzerland. During the hunting season of 2020, a total of 126 diaphragm muscle samples of hunted wild boars were collected and the meat juice of these samples was analysed for pathogen-specific IgG antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The overall seroprevalences were 35% for T. gondii and 17% for Salmonella, respectively. In general, seropositivity increased with the age of the animals. Seroprevalences of T. gondii were similar for animals from the northern region (29%) to those from the southern region (36.8%), indicating that T. gondii is widespread in the sylvestrian environment. By contrast, Salmonella seropositivity was remarkably higher in wild boars from the north (52%) compared with those from the south (5.3%). The high occurrence of Salmonella may represent a risk of transmission to compatriot domestic animals such free-range farmed pigs as well as to humans. Further, meat of hunted wild boars may present a source of human toxoplasmosis or salmonellosis.