title: Putative filariosis outbreak in white and black rhinoceros at Meru National Park in Kenya.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Habitat and food supply loss and disruption, together with man's pursuit of the animal's unique horn pose significant threats to the charismatic rhinoceros. Filarial worms have been thought to cause cutaneous lesions in black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in Kenya and South Africa, but never in white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) in the wild, despite the fact that the two species live often in close proximity. Stephanofilaria dinniki has been implicated in the past as the causal agents for such lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this paper we report a putative filariosis outbreak in both black and white rhinos at Meru National Park in Kenya. Four black and five white rhinos were affected by various degrees of filarioid-like lesions, while apparently all sympatric wild and domestic animals were filarial worm-free. Affected rhinos were captured and successfully treated. Comparison between the epidemiological aspects of white and black rhinoceros filariosis, and the possible relations between this outbreak and annual seasons, the presence of oxpeckers and other host species are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study highlights (i) that filarial infection is not restricted to black rhinos, but it affects both rhinoceros species, and (ii) the importance of the earlier detection and immediate treatment (capture-treat and release) of filarioid infections, which is of pivotal interest for wildlife conservation, and especially the endangered and isolated white and black rhinoceros populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Capture Services, Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya. mmutinda@kws.go.ke
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mutinda
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otiende
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gakuya
authors.forename: Linus
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kariuki
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Obanda
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ndeere
authors.forename: Ephantus
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ndambiri
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kariuki
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lekolool
authors.forename: Ramón C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Soriguer
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alasaad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005369:Filaricides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005370:Filarioidea / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010527:Perissodactyla / Q000469:parasitology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides