Habitat use and pathogens diversity in wild white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) from the Osa Peninsula (Costa Rica)

Most known pathogens that can infect humans have a zoonotic origin, making their detection and distribution in other animals highly relevant to human health. Specifically, wild pigs are a group of animals that, due to anthropogenic activity and habitat loss, frequently come into contact with human populations, increasing the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. In this study, we aim to investigate the habitat use and presence of zoonotic pathogens in two subpopulations of wild white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Results revealed that white-lipped peccaries frequently enter the buffer zone of Corcovado National Park, increasing the likelihood of contact with domestic animals. RT-PCR analysis showed that 26% of the processed samples tested positive for Influenza A. Metatranscriptomic data revealed the presence of a variety of genera associated with zoonotic pathogens, including viral (Mammastrovirus, Kobuvirus, Rhabdovirus, Alphainfluenzavirus, Parvovirus, Orthohepadnavirus, Palahepevirus, and Teschovirus), bacterial (Klebsiella, Escherichia, Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Vibrio, Salmonella, Mycobacterium, Brucella, and Leptospira), and eukaryotic (Candida, Malassezia, Penicillium, Paecilomyces, Mucor, Cryptococcus, Talaromyces, Sporothrix, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Entamoeba) pathogens. This is the first report on the gut microbiota and zoonotic pathogens associated with Tayassu pecari in Costa Rica. Considering both the habitat use and gut microbiota associated with these animals, our results highlight the urgent need to establish preventive measures to mitigate interactions between wild peccari, domestic animals, and humans in Corcovado, Osa Peninsula.