First report on the ısolation of salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar hofit in wild boars (sus scrofa) in Türkiye

The aim of this study was to isolate potential bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella spp., from wild boars (Sus scrofa) inhabiting the Southern Marmara Region of Turkiye and to evaluate the in vitro antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates. Samples, including feces and internal organs (lymph nodes, liver, lungs, kidneys, and spleen), were collected from a total of 34 legally hunted wild boars. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Hofit was isolated from 6 (17.6%) animals. Ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, ceftiofur, cefoxitin, nalidixic acid, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole discs were used to determine the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of S. Hofit isolates. All S. Hofit isolates had 100% sensitivity to 11 of the antibiotics tested, and three isolates were resistant only to streptomycin. As a result, this study is the first to report the isolation of S. Hofit from wild boars worldwide. The high isolation rate (17.6%) suggests a potential adaptation of this serovar to swine hosts. The apparent prevalence of S. Hofit in wild boars raises concerns not only for wildlife but also for potential public health implications.