Integrated Surveillance of Viral Pathogens in Wild Boars: Serological and Molecular Insight in Southern Italy

The circulation of viruses of medical and veterinary importance is monitored to evaluate risks to both human and animal health. Among the species most commonly used in surveillance programs, the wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) plays a key role due to its high population density and its contacts with rural swine herds in the areas under investigation. In the present study, molecular (real-time PCR) and serological analyses were conducted on wild boar samples collected in the regions of Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, and Calabria. Specifically, molecular detection was applied to IAVs, FLVs, and Porcine PCV-2, while serological testing was used to assess exposure to IAVs, FLVs, and ADV. Serological results showed an 8.31% positivity for IAVs, whereas viral presence detected by PCR was 1.17%. No active infections were detected for WNV, with only a single seropositive sample (0.30%), while ADV showed a seroprevalence of 2.61%. PCV-2 was detected exclusively by molecular analysis in 66 out of 223 tested animals (29.6%). The overall objective of the study is to deepen the understanding of virus circulation in the wildlife of Southern Italy, using the wild boar as an additional sentinel species for epidemiological surveillance activities. The distinctive feature of the project lies in its multi-pathogen approach applied to a reference population distributed across a particularly wide geographical area, allowing for the simultaneous assessment of the circulation of different viruses over a large territory.