Pseudorabies virus in wild swine: current evidence and interpretations from monitoring studies
Abstract
To synthesize current knowledge on pseudorabies virus (PRV; also known as Aujeszky's disease virus or Suid alphaherpesvirus 1) infections in wild swine, a combined review and meta-analysis was conducted. The study aimed to critically interpret reported PRV seroprevalence data, assess risks for animal health and disease control programs, and inform future monitoring and management strategies. An extensive literature search covering the period from 1970 to 2025 identified 160 serosurveys published between 1979 and 2024, yielding 516 datasets for analysis. Binomial logistic and mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess spatio-temporal patterns. The results indicate that PRV is widely established in wild swine populations, particularly in Europe and North America, forming stable endemic cycles largely independent of host density. Persistent spatial heterogeneity and region-specific temporal trends were observed, and once introduced into naïve populations, PRV appears to persist long term, limiting the added value of continued monitoring in long-established endemic areas.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in animal, not in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Understanding the factors influencing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) damage in African smallholder maize fields and quantifying its impact on yield. A case study in Eastern Zimbabwe
- Alarming situation of emerging H5 and H7 avian influenza and effective control strategies
- Livestock and food security: vulnerability to population growth and climate change
- Atmosphere–ocean oxygen and productivity dynamics during early animal radiations
- Characterization of the global distribution and diversified plasmid reservoirs of the colistin resistance gene mcr-9
- The global seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pigs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.