Serologic, molecular, and pathologic survey of pseudorabies virus infection in hunted wild boars (sus scrofa) in Italy.

During the hunting season of 2010-2011, blood samples, nasal and genital swabs and tonsillar and lymph node tissue samples were collected, in Tuscany, Central Italy, from 139 wild boars (39 piglets, 30 juveniles and 70 adult subjects), to investigate pseudorabies virus (PrV) seroprevalence and viral DNA presence. Immunohistochemistry with anti-PRV monoclonal antibodies was performed on selected tissue samples. Forty-three of 139 (30.9%) subjects were PrV-seropositive, while a 1954 base pair PrV specific product was amplified from 9 nasal (6.5%) and 26 genital (18.7%) swabs. Sequence analysis of PrV-positive PCR products revealed identity scores ranging from 99 to 100% with Suid herpesvirus 1 strain Becker (JF797219) and confirmed the identification of PrV DNA in tested swabs. Significantly higher seroprevalence was observed in adult subjects than in juveniles (P<0.001) and in piglets than in juveniles (P<0.05). The viral DNA presence was significantly higher in genital swabs than in nasal specimens (P