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Tuberculosis in Kafue lechwe ( Kobus leche kafuensis ) and in a bushbuck ( Tragelaphus scriptus ) on a game ranch in Central Province , Zambia
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Ziegera, U. Pandeyb, G. S. Kriekc, N. P. J. Cauldwella, A. E. |
| Copyright Year | 2004 |
| Abstract | INTRODUCTION Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, has been described in a variety of captive and free-ranging wild animals. Among the latter, self-maintaining infections have been reported in the European badger (Meles meles) in the United Kingdom; in the brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in New Zealand and in farmed fallow deer (Dama dama) as well as red deer (Cervus elaphus) in several other countries. The first cases of bovine tuberculosis in free-ranging wild animals in South Africa were reported in 1928 in greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia). Greater kudu were later found to be endemically infected with M. bovis in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. Tuberculosis caused by M. bovis is endemic in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and in warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) populations in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. High prevalence rates of M. bovis infections were found in wild olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) in the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya. Recently, an outbreak of tuberculosis in a freeranging African buffalo population and subsequent spread of this disease to other species was reported from the Kruger National Park, South Africa. In Zambia, tuberculosis caused by M. bovis in free-ranging wild animals has been reported only in a single eland (Taurotragus oryx) and in Kafue lechwe (Kobus leche kafuensis). It was suggested that tuberculous cattle that shared the grazing on the Kafue flood plains with lechwe introduced this disease to the susceptible wildlife population. In 1989 the legislation in Zambia pertaining to wildlife was amended and many private game ranches have since been established. Several ranches were stocked, amongst other species, with Kafue lechwe that had been captured on the Kafue flood plains. This report presents 3 cases of tuberculosis or mycobacteriosis, 2 in Kafue lechwe and 1 in a bushbuck from a private game ranch near Lusaka. The pathological and histological lesions were typical of tuberculosis in all 3 cases; however, mycobacteria could only be isolated from 1 of the Kafue lechwe. Unfortunately, appropriate biochemical tests were not available at the time to confirm without doubt that the isolate was M bovis. The strong suspicion, however, that bovine tuberculosis is present in wildlife on private Zambian ranches warrants attention. The danger of spreading tuberculosis through wildlife translocations is emphasised. |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/download/826/799 |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
