Yzabelle Bostyn
EXPERTS are warning wild boars could cause a ‘big problem’ for Spain as they risk spreading a deadly disease.
Wild boars don’t just cause traffic accidents, experts have warned they could also pose a huge health risk for Spain.
In fact, they are often carriers of hepatitis E, an infection which causes around €50,000 deaths a year.
Now, a team of Spanish scientists have discovered wild boar strains of hepatitis E viruses show ‘molecular similarity’ to human strains, suggesting the animals may be transmitting the illness to humans.
“We need to be very careful,” said Jordi Serra-Cobo, one of the researchers. “If we don’t do anything, sooner or later we’ll have a big problem on a global scale.”
The study was carried out in Barcelona, where around 3.2 million people live with 5-15 wild boars per kilometre squared.
Hepatitis E is ‘endemic’ in the area, where young wild boars were seen to carry the virus.
It is not the first time scientists have warned of the dangers of wild boars.
A 2015 study showed the animals could also transmit Japanese encephalitis and Nipah Virus- a deadly disease which currently has no cure.
It is said that wild boars move into populated areas due to urbanisation of the countryside and the abandonment of farmland.
In urban areas, they often tip bins over and eat their contents, so one prevention measure would be making it difficult for the boars to turn bins on their sides.
For hunters or park rangers, the scientists also recommend washing your hand thoroughly with soap and water.
They also warn against letting boars into public parks, where dogs could get infected from boar excrement.
