title: Taenia spp. infections in wildlife in the Bangweulu and Kafue flood plains ecosystems of Zambia.
abstract: Taenia spp. have an indirect life cycle, cycling between a definitive and an intermediate host with zoonotic species causing public health problems in many developing countries. During the course of 2 separate surveys in Zambia (2004 and 2009), the presence of Taenia larval stages (cysticerci) was examined in Kafue lechwe (Kobus leche kafuensis), Black lechwe (Kobus leche smithermani) and other wildlife species from the Kafue and Bangweulu flood plains. Examinations involved post-mortem inspection and serum specific antigen detection. The recovered cysts from seven carcasses were characterised using PCR and DNA sequence analysis. The overall proportion of infection in wildlife on post-mortem examination was 19.0% (95% CI: 9.1-29.0%). The proportion of infected wildlife based on post-mortem examinations in the Kafue flood plains was estimated at 28.6% (95% CI: 13.3-43.9%), while the seroprevalence was estimated at 25.0% (95% CI: 2.9-47.1%). The seroprevalence for cattle in the Kafue flood plains was estimated at 61.5% (95% CI: 42.0-81.0%) while that of Kafue lechwe in the same ecosystem was estimated at 66.6% (95% CI: 45.6-85.7%). Infection rates were higher in Kafue lechwe than in Black lechwe suggesting differences in the exposure patterns. The sequencing results indicated that none of the recovered cysts were either Taenia solium or Taenia saginata. We therefore conclude they most likely belong to a less studied (wildlife) Taenia species that requires further characterisation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address: jbwalya@lycos.com.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Muma
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabriël
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Munyeme
authors.affiliation: Norwegian School of Veterinary Sciences, Section of Aquatic Medicine and Nutrition, Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Ullevålsveien 72, P.O. Box 8146 Dep., 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Munang'andu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Victor
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorny
authors.affiliation: Norwegian School of Veterinary Sciences, Section of Aquatic Medicine and Nutrition, Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Ullevålsveien 72, P.O. Box 8146 Dep., 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nalubamba
authors.affiliation: KAZA TFCA Secretariat, Plot 2951, Madiba Shopping Complex, P.O. Box 821, Kasane, Botswana.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siamudaala
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Mwape
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000866:Antelopes / Q000469:parasitology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013621:Taenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D053833:Wetlands; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Bangweulu swamps; Black lechwe; Kafue flood plains; Kafue lechwe; Taenia spp.; Zambia