Abstract African swine fever (ASF) spreads among wild boar populations across Europe, but guidelines for defining the infectious buffer area (all reported cases plus a surrounding buffer where infected animals are likely to move) are largely uniform and rely on fixed‐radius buffers or standardized frameworks, without explicitly accounting for spatial heterogeneity in habitat or wild boar movement ecology. We aimed to define buffer sizes to be applied around infected wild boar carcasses to support the delineation of infectious buffer areas. We analysed GPS data from 527 wild boar across 46 European study sites using a two‐step approach combining first‐passage time and Cox proportional hazard models to estimate the risk that wild boar leaves areas of different sizes (i.e. spatial scales). We investigated how the risk of leaving varied over time and across environmental gradients and used our model to provide a flexible, science‐based tool to guide buffer sizing around infected wild boar carcasses, taking into account landscape composition and heterogeneity, rather than prescribing fixed values applicable in all situations. We found that the relationship between radius and risk of leaving is negative exponential and the risk of leaving increased over time, with a more rapid increase for smaller radii. Landscape homogeneity, terrain ruggedness and human pressure increased the risk of leaving, with stronger effects on small scales. Contrary to other predictors, the proportion of cropland exerted a strong effect on the risk of leaving at large spatial scales, especially at high levels of cropland. Across Europe, a buffer size of ~8 km is likely sufficient around most infection foci (i.e. infected wild boar carcasses, considering an infectious period of 14 days and a 5% probability that a wild boar leaves the area), but buffers up to 20 km may be necessary in certain areas to effectively limit the movement of wild boar. Synthesis and applications . Our results highlight the need for context‐specific adaptive infectious buffer area. 8 km buffers around infected carcasses can limit the risk of infected wild boar dispersal but can be reduced to 5 km in highly heterogeneous landscapes or areas of high human impact. Larger buffers may be required in agricultural landscapes. We provide spatially explicit outputs (buffer sizes) that can directly inform policy and wildlife disease response strategies. The approach can be adapted to any other infectious disease.
1. African swine fever (ASF) poses a serious threat to domestic pigs and wild boar populations. Wild boar can disperse the virus, making effective containment crucial. One of the main control strategies involves establishing restricted zones around detected cases, i.e., areas with temporary restrictions on access and hunting; however, determining the appropriate size of these zones remains a major challenge. 2. To inform the size of restricted zones, we analyzed GPS data from 527 wild boar across 46 European study sites using a two-step approach combining first-passage time analysis and survival modelling to quantify the risk of wild boar leaving areas of different radii (i.e., spatial scales). We investigated how the risk of leaving varied over time and across environmental gradients. To go further, we used our model findings to develop an online application that generates predictive maps of optimal buffer sizes for ASF management at the European scale, based on a given risk threshold (the maximum acceptable probability that a wild boar leaves the area). 3. We found that the relationship between radius and the risk of leaving is negative exponential, and the risk of leaving increased over time, with a more rapid increase for smaller radii. Landscape homogeneity, terrain ruggedness and human impact increased the risk of leaving, with stronger effects at small scales. Contrary to other predictors, agricultural cover exerted a strong negative effect on movement over large spatial scales, especially when it was abundant. 4. Across Europe, a buffer radius of ~8 km is likely sufficient around high-risk infection zones in most areas (considering an infectious period of 14 days and a risk threshold of 5%); however, in certain areas, a radius of up to 20 km may be needed to effectively limit wild boar movement. 5. Synthesis and applications: Our results highlight the need for adaptive, context-specific restricted zones. Buffers of 8 km around ASF-affected areas can limit the risk of infected wild boar dispersal, but they may be reduced to 5 km in highly heterogeneous landscapes or high-human impacted areas. Larger buffers may be required in agricultural landscapes. We provide spatially explicit outputs (optimal buffer sizes) that can directly inform policy and wildlife disease response strategies. The approach can be adapted to any other infectious diseases. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority François Sommer foundation University of Montpellier, ANR-16IDEX-0006 BoundaryBoar project, ANR-22-CE03-0002 Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, CPP2023-010878 Thuringian Ministry of Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, https://ror.org/02y7nf053 Marie-Claire Cronstedts Stiftelse, https://ror.org/018g1zw27 Önnesjös foundation
Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus are foodborne pathogens that can lead to serious health risks to the consumers. This study analyses the microbiological effects of insect proteins added to the recipe of cooked short shelf-life sausages. The surface of experimental meat products was con-taminated with type strain suspensions of L. monocytogenes and S. aureus and then stored at 6 °C, 12 °C and 25 °C until spoilage. The results showed that the inclusion of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal in a meat product affected the growth of L. monocytogenes but not of S. aureus. The lowest L. monocytogenes counts were observed at a storage temperature of 6 °C in products with 2.5% BSFL meal. The growth of L. monocytogenes was affected by the storage temperature and presence of BSFL meal in the recipe. The growth of S. aureus depended mainly on the storage temperature and was not affected by the protein components as an ingredient.
Rabies caused by the Classical Rabies Virus (Lyssavirus rabies abbreviated RABV) in the European Union has been close to elimination mainly thanks to Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) campaigns targeting wildlife (primarily red foxes). ORV programmes co-financed by the European Commission include a monitoring-component to assess the effectiveness of the ORV campaigns at national level. This assessment is performed by a random collection of red foxes in the vaccinated areas with control of antibodies presence by serological analysis and control of bait uptake by detection of biomarkers (tetracycline incorporated into the baits) in the bones and teeth. ORV programmes aim to a vaccine coverage high enough to immunize (ideally) 70 % of the reservoir population to control the spread of the disease. European Union (EU) programmes that led to almost elimination of rabies on the territory have been traditionally found to have a bait uptake average of 70 % (EU countries; 2010-2020 period) while the seroconversion data showed an average level of 40 % (EU countries; 2010-2020 period). To better understand variations of these indicators, a study was been set up to evaluate the impact of several variables (linked to the vaccination programme itself and linked to environmental conditions) on the bait uptake and the seroconversion rate. Thus, pooling data from several countries provides more powerful statistics and the highest probability of detecting trends. Results of this study advocate the use of a single serological test across the EU since data variation due to the type of test used was higher than variations due to field factors, making the interpretation of monitoring results at EU level challenging. In addition, the results indicates a negative correlation between bait uptake and maximum temperatures reached during ORV campaigns questioning the potential impact of climatic change and associated increase of temperatures on the ORV programmes efficiency. Several hypotheses requesting additional investigation are drawn and discussed in this paper.
In 2022-2024, three outbreaks of sheeppox (SPP) were reported in the European Union. These occurred in Spain, Bulgaria, and Greece and had serious economic consequences due to animal losses and trade restrictions. Five sheeppox virus (SPPV) whole-genome sequences (WGSs) were determined from samples collected during these outbreaks and analyzed in the context of all other published WGSs. Sheeppox virus strains can be divided in two, or possibly three, main groups. The isolates from the recent outbreaks belong to clade A2, which includes strains historically circulating in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Sequence divergence was low among the isolates that caused the recent European outbreaks. These results highlight the need for more regular and dense surveillance in under-sampled areas and the use of WGS to increase the chance of pinpointing the origin of an introduction, identifying potential introduction routes, and providing insights into SPPV evolution.
