SANParks.org Forums

I'm writing from France.
I'm looking for information about the Bovine Tuberculosis, in the Kruger, but also in all Southern Africa. How it is now ?
If anybody has news, I'm interested by.

Thank you.

Papop

Dear Papop
A lot has been written on this subject and it is really a very wide field. Our Scientific Services (research department) is involved in various projects and some information on BTB can be found in the Project Report (2003) document here (in PDF-format): Project Report
Look on page 25, 27, 28, 72, 112, 120 of the project report (2003) for information on projects on this subject.

You can also have a look here:
Current Report

In both documents you will find e-mail addresses of the researchers you can contact for research purposes.

I hope this will assist you.

Danie/KNP Spokesperson: Can you please let us know about the research that is being done on the Buffalo in the park. Also has there been a census on the lion prides and how many males have been lost to the disease. That is obviously the most concerning point. One of the ranger said to us that there is a noticable decline in lions and the cause is T.B.

Secondly, what happened with the big skandaal with the KNP representitive who had money in breeding disease free buffalo. How is that project coming along?

Regards
bwana

As far as I know the well-known dr. is not with SANP anymore.

I was wondering yesterday on how on earth TB will be removed from the Park? You can't shoot all the carriers nor will it dissapear all by itself.

How is the vaccine research coming on?

I came across two male lion in the lower sabie area in 1999 who must have had the disease. It was horrible to see, they must have been magnificent beasts before the disease struck, they were so thin with the skin barely covering the bones and they were to weak to even lift their large heads.... as soon as i returned to camp i reported it.... hopefully they were put out of their misery.....

Can someone please tell me that if lions have TB, will they be able to pass it on to their cubs?

Sorry Wendy, I don't know the answer to that. I don't know whether or not it is the same as with TB in humans where it can be transmitted via the air. For some reason I think that the answer would be no, I can't remember hearing anywhere about cubs contracting TB.

I seem to remember that the period up until weaning is critical as they can become infected through the mothers milk, especially if the mother is repeatedly exposed to TB during feeding while still feeding the cubs.

Evidence appears to be inconclusive at the moment - lions usually contract TB from infected meat (mainly buffalo but also Kudu and a couple of other ungulate species) - but Tuberculous lesions have been found in the mammary tissue of some infected lionesses.
I don't know if there is any evidence that the disease can be passed on through milk and I have not (yet) seen anything to suggest that this happens.

It is also believed that the disease may be transferred via nasal droplets or skin wounds when a pride members are fighting over a carcass - and some opinions appear to be that without infected prey species present, the disease would eventually come to a 'dead-end' among carnivores.

Once the cubs begin to be weaned of course, they would be as prone to the disease as the adults are.
Weaning starts at 3 months of age and they are normally fully weaned by 7 months, so are still quite small when the 'risk factor' comes into play.

As far as I can remember, it's the male lions who are most susceptible to the TB as the disease is found in the abdominal organs of the animal and the male will eat first from the carcass, choosing all the lovely soft meat of the organs.

there was a documetary on NG called "Lions finding freedom" that was about that lions get infected with bovine TB through infected buffalo. they wanted to relocate a pride to an other game reserve, but the problem was that the pride had to be TB free.
When they found out that one member was infected with TB they putt down the whole pride because they infected each other. im not sure in what way, but I think Tabs is right with the transffering of TB to other lions.
When examining the dead lion, they saw that the lungs has been damaged (longembolies? ). so it a good possibility that they fransffer the TB through nasal droplets.
(maybe it is the same as with human. with open TB you can infect someone by coufghing(*deur te hoes*))

Dear Forum Members

The KNP Veterinary Services and the Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Services are presently researching the state of Bovine TB in the Park extensively and I can report the following:
* It was first picked up in the KNP in 1991;
* It is believed to have come from cattle in the Lowveld areas, and originally from Europe;
* It is most prevalent in the South, and it is moving towards the North;
* The main host population is definitely buffalo, and thus the focus of our efforts will be on this species;
* It transfers from one buffalo to another via aerosol close contact;
* It mostly manifests itself in the lymph glands in the throat and the lungs.

Presently, we are busy with the following efforts:
* Monitoring the disease:
Since 2002, we have had a biannual survey of buffalo in the north of the Park where the disease is least detectable. During the 1990s, SANParks did 3 general surveys of all buffalo herds in the KNP. Further monitoring will take place this July.
The 2003 survey revealed:
60% of the population of the Southern region are infected;
20 - 40% of the population of the Central region are infected;
5 - 20% of the population of the Northern region are infected;
less than 5% of the population of the Far North region are infected.
This survey also showed the first occurance of the disease in the Far North, with a lone buffalo testing positive near Punda Maria.
* BTB-free breeding programme:
Aim is to get a viable population free of diseases. Animals are translocated to Vaalbos and Marakele national parks.
* Testing and evaluating vaccine:
Vaccine - similar to that used in humans - needs to be thoroughly tested. This is a long term project.

We will probably do a BTB prevalence survey among the lion population this year, but there has been research in the past on this. More later ...

Hope this helps.

Kind regards
KNP Spokesman

Wow,
thats realy interesting KNP Spokesman.
If they come up with a good vaccin to treat BTB, how will they than vaccinate the buffalo's? will they even do this or will they only vaccinate the lions?
If so, this would cost a great amount of money

Funnily enough, I watched the programme Park Life on Animal Planet or N.G.C. yesterday. I'm not sure how long ago it was filmed, but it seems recent. It was about the TB buffalo in the park and particularly about the herds in the north of the park. They managed to test individuals from 15 herds, expecting 2 herds to carry the virus. Unfortunately for them they found 5 of the 15 herds carrying TB. The ranger in charge ended by saying these pertinent words: "We haven't been able to cure TB in humans, so it will be much harder than we anticipated."

regards
bwana

To nip in the bud the problem of and advancing column of high prevalence tb infected buffaloes in Park, a temp fence could have have been erected from narrowest width ie. Orpen - Nwanetsi (60 km ?) Then the north would be free, if it were earlier enough say 1992-1993. Then all should have been wiped out in the south, that were half infected. Once the operation was complete the temporary fence could be removed, to allow natural dispersal from N to S to repopulate with disease free herds. That fencing cost would be the same as current research efforts and vaccination drug testing, and administration, and not too mention the capital involve in breeding disease freee buffalo at Skukuza. in hindsight it would have to have been a rapid decision and would have met with controversy.