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Survey of the Antibody against Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Ryukyu Wild Boars (<i>Sus scrofa riukiuanus</i>) in Okinawa, Japan

2007; National Institute of Infectious Diseases; Volume: 60; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.7883/yoken.jjid.2007.309

1884-2836

Minoru Nidaira, Katsuya Taira, Kiyomasa Itokazu, Jun Kudaka, Masaji Nakamura, Atsusi Ohno, Tomohiko Takasaki,

Virology and Viral Diseases

Serum specimens were collected from 99 wild boars in the Northern area of the main Okinawa Island and from 27 wild boars on Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture from 1997 to 2005. Sera were tested for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) antibody by hemagglutination inhibition assay and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sixty-four samples (64.6%) in the Northern area and 1 sample (3.7%) from Iriomote Island were positive for the JEV antibody. The difference in seroprevalence between the Northern area and Iriomote Island was statistically significant (P < 0.01, χ2 test). This difference may be due to the lack of a pig farm on Iriomote Island, whereas wild boars in the Northern area may be infected with JEV, amplified on pig farms. It is likely that there has recently been an increase in the number of wild boars living close to humans in certain areas of Japan. This in turn increases the possibility that wild boars are infected with JEV, which is amplified on pig farms, and these infected animals may play a role in carrying JEV to other regions of the country.