Dispersal and Land Cover Contribute to Pseudorabies Virus Exposure in Invasive Wild Pigs.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the landscape epidemiology of a globally distributed mammal, the wild pig (Sus scrofa), in Florida (U.S.), where it is considered an invasive species and reservoir to pathogens that impact the health of people, domestic animals, and wildlife. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that two commonly cited factors in disease transmission, connectivity among populations and abundant resources, would increase the likelihood of exposure to both pseudorabies virus (PrV) and Brucella spp. (bacterial agent of brucellosis) in wild pigs across the Kissimmee Valley of Florida. Using DNA from 348 wild pigs and sera from 320 individuals at 24 sites, we employed population genetic techniques to infer individual dispersal, and an Akaike information criterion framework to compare candidate

SUBMITTER: Hernandez FA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8192353 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature