An outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in a free-living African buffalo (Syncerus caffer--sparrman) population in the Kruger National Park: a preliminary report.
Bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed for the first time in an African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in the Kruger National Park (KNP). The index case was a 2-year-old, emaciated bull which had been found recumbent and obviously ill, near the south-western boundary of the KNP, in July 1990. During a follow-up random sampling of 57 buffalo, from two herds in close proximity to this initial case, nine more suspect cases were found. Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from a lung and thoracic lymph node, respectively, of two of these cases. Histopathologically, all nine of these animals had granulomatous lesions compatible with a diagnosis of mycobacteriosis, but acid-fast organisms could be demonstrated in only one animal.
Bengis
R G
RG
Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
Kriek
N P
NP
Keet
D F
DF
Raath
J P
JP
de Vos
V
V
Huchzermeyer
H F
HF
D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000382:microbiology*; D002417:Cattle; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014380:Tuberculosis, Bovine / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology