Post mortem examination of submandibular lymph node in wild boars (Sus scrofa) as beneficial part of bovine tuberculosis surveillance systems

Abstract

In Europe the wild boar proved to be the most important reservoir of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) with visible lesions regularly in the submandibular lymph nodes. Based on these facts authors hypothesized that submandibular lymph node of the wild boar can be a good target for screening of bTB endemics. Samples were collected during evisceration of 833 carcasses between 2010 and 2014. The post-mortem examination of submandibular lymph nodes were compared with culture result of the whole lymph node set of each animal. Sensitivity and specificity proved to be 89.7% and 72.9% respectively, which suggests that surveillance based on post-mortem examination of the submandibular lymph node of wild boars could be an effective tool in disease management.