Immunolocalizzazione degli antigeni di circovirus suino tipo 2 (PCV2): diffusione dell'infezione e diagnosi di PMWS in popolazioni di cinghiale in Italia

Wild boar (Sus scrofa ssp scrofa) is a host of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2), and infection in this species has been reported in many countries. Three hundreds fourty-eight wild boar were sampled in the provinces of Bologna, Padua and Pisa (Italy). Viral PCV2 antigen was disclosed in 38 animals, 11 immunohistochemistry (IHC) positive out of 148 (7.43%) sampled (Bologna and Padua) and 27 immunofluorescence (IF) positive out of 200 (13.5%) sampled (Pisa). Only in nine (3 from Bologna and Padua by IHC and 6 from Pisa by IF) out of 38 positive subjects PCV2 antigen in context of histological lesions were proved. Animals aged seven to eight months were the most affected by PCV2 infection proving an important role of this age-class in the epidemiology of this virosis. Moreover, the study confirmed that wild boar can be a host of PCV-2, showed the virus and PMWS is endemic in several wild boar populations in Italy, and proved IHC and IF are good methods for epidemiologic study of PCV2 and PMWS in wild boar.