Publications

phylogeny of bovine species based on aflp fingerprinting.	the bovini species comprise both domestic and wild cattle species. published phylogenies of this tribe based on mitochondrial dna contain anomalies, while nuclear sequences show only low variation. we have used amplified fragment length polymorphism (aflp) fingerprinting in order to detect variation in loci distributed over the nuclear genome. computer-assisted scoring of electrophoretic fingerprinting patterns yielded 361 markers, which provided sufficient redundancy to suppress stochastic effe ...	2002	11813106
phylogeography of the african buffalo based on mitochondrial and y-chromosomal loci: pleistocene origin and population expansion of the cape buffalo subspecies.	population genetics and phylogeography of the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) are inferred from genetic diversity at mitochondrial d-loop hypervariable region i sequences and a y-chromosomal microsatellite. three buffalo subspecies from different parts of africa are included. nucleotide diversity of the subspecies cape buffalo at hypervariable region i is high, with little differentiation between populations. a mutation rate of 13-18% substitutions/million years is estimated for hypervariable ...	2002	11856427
cotylophoron macrosphinctris sp. n. (trematoda: paramphistomata) from the african buffalo, bubalus (syncerus) caffer sparrman.	cotylophoron macrosphinctris sp. n. was recorded from the rumen of the african buffalo, bubalus (syncerus) caffer, sparrman in central african empire. the most characteristic feature of this species is the presence of a strong genital sphincter by which it is easily distinguished from the hitherto known species of the genus.	2003	525954
the core 2 beta-1,6-n-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-mucin encoded by bovine herpesvirus 4 was acquired from an ancestor of the african buffalo.	the bo17 gene of bovine herpesvirus 4 (bohv-4) is the only viral gene known to date that encodes a homologue of the cellular core 2 beta-1,6-n-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-mucin type (c2gnt-m). to investigate the origin and evolution of the bo17 gene, we analyzed its distribution among bohv-4 strains and determined the sequences of bo17 from nine representative strains and of the c2gnt-m gene from six species of ruminants expected to encompass the group within which the gene acquisition occurre ...	2003	12525612
the implications of virus diversity within the sat 2 serotype for control of foot-and-mouth disease in sub-saharan africa.	sat 2 is the serotype most often associated with outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) in livestock in southern and western africa and is the only sat type to have been recorded outside the african continent in the last decade. its epidemiology is complicated by the presence of african buffalo (syncerus caffer), which play an important role in virus maintenance and transmission. to assess the level of genetic complexity of this serotype among viruses associated with both domestic livestock a ...	2003	12771430
a panel of microsatellite and minisatellite markers for the characterisation of field isolates of theileria parva.	mini- and microsatellite sequences show high levels of variation and therefore provide excellent tools for both the genotyping and population genetic analysis of parasites. herein we describe the identification of a panel of 11 polymorphic microsatellites and 49 polymorphic minisatellites of the protozoan haemoparasite theileria parva. the pcr products were run on high resolution spreadex gels on which the alleles were identified and sized. the sequences of the mini- and microsatellites were dis ...	2003	14636680
antibodies to neospora caninum in wild animals from kenya, east africa.	the prevalence of antibodies to neospora caninum was examined in six wild artiodactyla species, and in five wild carnivora species from kenya. blood sera (104 wild ungulates from marula estates (mes), and 31 wild carnivores from masai-mara reserve and from other wildlife areas in northern and southern kenya), were screened using a neospora agglutination test (nat), with a twofold dilution (1:40-1:320 titres). presence of nat antibodies to n. caninun is reported here for the first time in zebra ( ...	2003	14651874
responses of glossina morsitans morsitans to blends of electroantennographically active compounds in the odors of its preferred (buffalo and ox) and nonpreferred (waterbuck) hosts.	in a previous study, comparison of the behavior of teneral glossina morsitans morsitans on waterbuck, kobus defassa (a refractory host), and on two preferred hosts, buffalo, syncerus caffer, and ox, bos indicus, suggested the presence of allomones in the waterbuck odor. examination of the volatile odors by coupled gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection showed that the antennal receptors of the flies detected constituents common to the three bovids (phenols and aldehydes), as well as ...	2003	14682515
indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of antibody against rift valley fever virus in domestic and wild ruminant sera.	an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-elisa) for the detection of specific igg immunoglobulins against rift valley fever virus (rvfv) was validated in-house. a total of 3055 sera from sheep (n = 1159), goats (n = 636), cattle (n = 203), african buffalo (n = 928), and other wild ruminants (n = 129), including eland, kudu, and black wildebeest, was used. sera from domestic ruminants were collected in west (n = 10), south (n = 1654) and east africa (n = 334), and sera from wild ruminants ...	2003	12825681
epididymal sperm from the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) can be frozen successfully with andromed and with triladyl but the addition of bovine seminal plasma is detrimental.	numerous diseases are carried and can be transmitted from the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) to livestock. buffaloes free of specific diseases (bfsd) are thus in demand amongst game farmers. current bfsd derive from a small genetic pool and hence there is a special interest in bringing new genetic material into such herds. in this study epididymal sperm from 16 mature african buffalo bulls was frozen with triladyl and andromed extender (minitüb, tiefenbach, germany) with and without addition ...	2004	14698060
the core 2 beta-1,6-n-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-m encoded by bovine herpesvirus 4 is not essential for virus replication despite contributing to post-translational modifications of structural proteins.	the bo17 gene of bovine herpesvirus 4 (bohv-4) is the only virus gene known to date that encodes a homologue of the cellular core 2 beta-1,6-n-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-mucine type (c2gnt-m). recently, our phylogenetic study revealed that the bo17 gene has been acquired from an ancestor of the african buffalo around 1.5 million years ago. despite this recent origin, the bo17 sequence has spread to fixation in the virus population possibly by natural selection. supporting the latter hypothesi ...	2004	14769893
postthaw evaluation of in vitro function of epididymal spermatozoa from four species of free-ranging african bovids.	an improved understanding of reproductive physiology in nondomestic bovids is necessary for the development of assisted reproductive technologies (arts) for use in the conservation of endangered bovids. in this study, epididymal spermatozoa were recovered from blesbok (damaliscus dorcas phillipsi), african buffalo (syncerus caffer), springbok (antidorcas marsupialis), and black wildebeest (connochaetes gnou) following organized culls in south africa. our objectives were 1) to characterize the qu ...	2004	15151928
detection of bovine viral diarrhoea virus in specimens from cattle in south africa and possible association with clinical disease.	studies covering all aspects of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (bvdv) have been conducted in several countries in europe, asia and america. in southern africa, more information is required about the nature of bvdv infection, the prevalence of different strains and the economic importance of the disease. the presence of bvdv in southern africa has been known since the early 1970s through serological surveys but few reports confirming its presence by virus isolation and correlation with clinical dis ...	2004	15456165
an investigation into the source and spread of foot and mouth disease virus from a wildlife conservancy in zimbabwe.	african buffalo were introduced into a wildlife conservancy in the southeast of zimbabwe in an effortto increase the conservancy's economic viability, which is primarily based on eco-tourism. the buffalo were infected with sat serotypes (sat-1, sat-2 and sat-3) of foot and mouth disease (fmd) virus, and in order to isolate the conservancy and prevent the transmission of fmd to adjacent populations of domestic livestock, the conservancy was surrounded by a double-fence system, 1.8 m in height. th ...	2004	15861873
comparison of three different media for freezing of epididymal sperm from the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) and influence of equilibration time on the post-thaw sperm quality.	assisted reproductive techniques might prove themselves useful tools in producing buffaloes free of specific diseases (bfsd), which are in demand in south africa. freezing protocols for african buffalo semen must not only result in good post-thaw qualities, but must also be practical. epididymal sperm from six mature african buffalo bulls was collected, diluted with three different semen extenders and frozen. pre-freezing equilibration times between 2 and 9 h were tested. total and progressive m ...	2004	15580769
midazolam/ketamine induction and isoflurane maintenance of anaesthesia in a 2-month-old, hand-raised african buffalo (syncerus caffer).	the use of a midazolam/ketamine combination for induction of anaesthesia in a 2-month-old, hand-raised buffalo calf (syncerus caffer) is described to allow endotracheal intubation for the maintenance of anaesthesia with isoflurane and oxygen. intraoperative complications were hypotension and hypothermia. for postoperative analgesia meloxicam and butorphanol was administered intramuscularly.	2004	15214695
the place of marker vaccines in control and eradication of animal diseases--aspects of comparative interest.	smallpox is the first viral infection to have been eradicated world-wide. this remarkable success is due to several factors including the availability of an efficacious vaccine and the absence of a wildlife reservoir. the only animal virus disease sharing these characteristics is rinderpest, for which there are several efficacious vaccines. other animal viral infections do not share the same characteristics, either due to the lack of an efficacious vaccine (african swine fever), or to the existe ...	2005	15962481
tuberculosis in tanzanian wildlife.	bovine tuberculosis, caused by mycobacterium bovis, is a pathogen of growing concern in free-ranging wildlife in africa, but little is known about the disease in tanzanian wildlife. here, we report the infection status of mycobacterium bovis in a range of wildlife species sampled from protected areas in northern tanzania. m. bovis was isolated from 11.1% (2/18) migratory wildebeest (connochaetes taurinus) and 11.1% (1/9) topi (damaliscus lunatus) sampled systematically in 2000 during a meat crop ...	2005	16107683
a preliminary investigation of tuberculosis and other diseases in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) in queen elizabeth national park, uganda.	a survey to determine the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis caused by mycobacterium bovis and certain other infectious diseases was conducted on 42 free-ranging african buffaloes, (syncerus caffer) from may to june 1997 in the queen elizabeth national park, uganda. using the gamma interferon test, exposure to m. bovis was detected in 21.6% of the buffaloes. one dead buffalo and an emaciated warthog (phacochoerus aethiopicus) that was euthanased, were necropsied; both had miliary granulomas from ...	2005	16137132
antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 4 are highly prevalent in wild african buffaloes throughout eastern and southern africa.	bovine herpesvirus 4 (bohv-4) has been isolated from cattle throughout the world. interestingly, a survey of wild african buffaloes mainly from the maasai mara game reserve in kenya revealed that 94% of the animals tested had anti-bohv-4 antibodies [rossiter, p.b., gumm, i.d., stagg, d.a., conrad, p.a., mukolwe, s., davies, f.g., white, h., 1989. isolation of bovine herpesvirus-3 from african buffaloes (syncerus caffer). res. vet. sci. 46, 337-343]. these authors also proposed that the serologic ...	2005	16153785
histo-morphology of the uterus and early placenta of the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) and comparative placentome morphology of the african buffalo and cattle (bos taurus).	differences exist in reproductive physiology between african buffalo (syncerus caffer), cattle (bos taurus) and water buffalo (bubalus bubalis). the aim of this study was to histo-morphologically compare the anatomy of non-pregnant and pregnant uteri of buffalo and cattle. two non-pregnant uteri and placentae of six pregnant african buffalo were used. early placentome formation (fetal crown rump length (crl): 2-17.5 cm) in s. caffer and b. taurus was compared. the endometrium of buffalo uteri co ...	2006	16293303
wildlife tuberculosis in south african conservation areas: implications and challenges.	tuberculosis, caused by mycobacterium bovis, was first diagnosed in african buffalo in south africa's kruger national park in 1990. over the past 15 years the disease has spread northwards leaving only the most northern buffalo herds unaffected. evidence suggests that 10 other small and large mammalian species, including large predators, are spillover hosts. wildlife tuberculosis has also been diagnosed in several adjacent private game reserves and in the hluhluwe-imfolozi park, the third larges ...	2006	16343819
seroprevalences of antibodies to neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii in zoo animals.	neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite that causes neuromuscular disease in dogs and abortions in cattle. little is known about the prevalence of antibodies to this parasite in zoo animals. sera from 556 animals, from 13 czech and slovak zoos were tested for antibodies to n. caninum and toxoplasma gondii by indirect fluorescent antibody test. antibodies to n. caninum were found in 31 of 556 zoo animals (5.6%), representing 18 of 114 species tested: eurasian wolf (canis lupus lupus), maned ...	2006	16387445
rinderpest seroprevalence in wildlife in kenya and tanzania, 1982-1993.	eight hundred and thirty five serum samples collected from eight wild artiodactyl species in kenya and tanzania between 1982 and 1993 were tested for virus-neutralising (vn) antibodies to rinderpest (rp) virus. antibodies were found in 116 of 344 buffaloes (syncerus caffer) but not in the other species including 349 wildebeest (connochaetes taurinus). most of the antibody positive buffaloes were from the maasai mara-serengeti ecosystem (mm-se) and would have had opportunity for exposure to the v ...	2006	16529830
evolution of bovine herpesvirus 4: recombination and transmission between african buffalo and cattle.	bovine herpesvirus 4 (bohv-4) has been isolated from cattle throughout the world, but virological and serological studies have suggested that the african buffalo is also a natural host for this virus. it has previously been found that the bo17 gene of bohv-4 was acquired from an ancestor of the african buffalo, probably around 1.5 million years ago. analysis of the variation of the bo17 gene sequence among bohv-4 strains suggested a relatively ancient transmission of bohv-4 from the buffalo to t ...	2006	16690915
impacts of roads and hunting on central african rainforest mammals.	road expansion and associated increases in bunting pressure are a rapidly growing threat to african tropical wildlife. in the rainforests of southern gabon, we compared abundances of larger (>1 kg) mammal species at varying distances from forest roads and between hunted and unhunted treatments (comparing a 130-km2 oil concession that was almost entirely protected from bunting with nearby areas outside the concession that had moderate hunting pressure). at each of 12 study sites that were evenly ...	2006	16922241
disease constraints for utilization of the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) on game ranches in zambia.	eco-tourism depending on wildlife is becoming increasingly profitable and landowners are beginning to favor game farming and ecotourism. in these areas, large-scale translocation of wildlife involves a diversity of species and large populations. the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) is one of the major tourist attractions in zambia. it accounts for 8.7% and 12.4% of the total animal species hunted in the game management areas and the total hunting revenue earned in zambia, respectively. it is ec ...	2006	16786973
the host status of african buffaloes, syncerus caffer, for rhipicephalus (boophilus) decoloratus.	the objective of this study was to assess the host status of african buffaloes, syncerus caffer, for the one-host tick rhipicephalus (boophilus) decoloratus. to this end the r. (b.) decoloratus burdens of ten buffaloes examined in three north-eastern kwazulu-natal province (kzn) nature reserves were compared with those of medium-sized to large antelope species in these reserves and in the southern kruger national park (knp), mpumalanga province. the r. (b.) decoloratus burdens of the buffaloes w ...	2006	17058441
an experimental intratonsilar infection model for bovine tuberculosis in african buffaloes, syncerus caffer.	an infection model for mycobacterium bovis in african buffaloes, syncerus caffer, was developed, using the intratonsilar route of inoculation. two groups of 11 buffaloes each, aged approximately 18 months, were infected with either 3.2 x 10(2) cfu (low dose) or 3 x 10(4) cfu (high dose) of m. bovis strain isolated from a buffalo. a control group of six buffaloes received saline via the same route. the infection status was monitored in vivo using the comparative intradermal tuberculin test, and i ...	2006	17283730
independent and competing disease risks: implications for host populations in variable environments.	disease models usually assume disease to act independently of other mortality- and morbidity-causing factors. alternatively, disease may function as a competing risk factor, for example, killing already moribund hosts. using tuberculosis (tb) in african buffalo as a model system, we explore consequences of competing or independent disease effects for host population dynamics. we include scenarios with density-dependent and density-independent effects of environmental variation, exemplified by va ...	2006	16671018
comparison of equilibration times when freezing epididymal sperm from african buffalo (syncerus caffer) using triladyl or andromed.	because of risks of disease transmission, it is not possible to move african buffalo (syncerus caffer) within south africa. therefore, new ways must be found to enable exchange of genetic material and to increase genetic diversity. in this study epididymal sperm from 11 african buffaloes was exposed to 8 different pre-freezing equilibration times, using 2 different semen extenders. to test the influence of equilibration time and to find a practical way of freezing sperm in the field equilibratio ...	2006	16620923
captive breeding of the white rhinoceros, ceratotherium simum, and the cape buffalo, syncerus caffer.	breeding records of 40 white rhinoceros and 155 cape buffalo were analysed. three rhinoceros cows bred in captivity, themselves conceived for the first time at 84, 87 and 95 months of age, respectively. rhinoceros cows breed throughout the year. there is no evidence of a relationship between calving interval and month of birth. calving intervals were normally distributed about the mean of 34 months and there were no significant differences between bulls, cows or sex of calf. there was no differe ...	2006	17058447
locoh: nonparameteric kernel methods for constructing home ranges and utilization distributions.	parametric kernel methods currently dominate the literature regarding the construction of animal home ranges (hrs) and utilization distributions (uds). these methods frequently fail to capture the kinds of hard boundaries common to many natural systems. recently a local convex hull (locoh) nonparametric kernel method, which generalizes the minimum convex polygon (mcp) method, was shown to be more appropriate than parametric kernel methods for constructing hrs and uds, because of its ability to i ...	2007	17299587
hypothyroidism in an african forest buffalo (syncerus caffer nanus).	an adult female african forest buffalo (syncerus caffer nanus) of unknown age was presented with signs of recurrent hoof overgrowth, persistent anestrous, obesity, dull hair coat, and decreased activity level. complete blood counts and serum biochemistry values were unremarkable. decreased concentrations of total triiodothyronine and total thyroxine were noted compared with values for normal domestic cattle and a healthy african forest buffalo. treatment with oral levothyroxine increased blood c ...	2007	17469292
bayesian inference of population expansions in domestic bovines.	the past population dynamics of four domestic and one wild species of bovine were estimated using bayesian skyline plots, a coalescent markov chain monte carlo method that does not require an assumed parametric model of demographic history. four domestic species share a recent rapid population expansion not visible in the wild african buffalo (syncerus caffer). the estimated timings of the expansions are consistent with the archaeological records of domestication.	2007	17535790
cloning, sequencing and expression of white rhinoceros (ceratotherium simum) interferon-gamma (ifn-gamma) and the production of rhinoceros ifn-gamma specific antibodies.	bovine tuberculosis (btb) is endemic in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) in the kruger national park (knp). in addition to buffalo, mycobacterium bovis has been found in at least 14 other mammalian species in south africa, including kudu (tragelaphus strepsiceros), chacma baboon (papio ursinus) and lion (panthera leo). this has raised concern about the spillover into other potentially susceptible species like rhinoceros, thus jeopardising breeding and relocation projects aiming at the conservat ...	2007	17118460
characterisation of a sat-1 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in captive african buffalo (syncerus caffer): clinical symptoms, genetic characterisation and phylogenetic comparison of outbreak isolates.	african buffalo (syncerus caffer) play an important role in the maintenance of the sat types of foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) in southern africa. these long-term carriers mostly become sub-clinically infected, maintaining the disease and posing a threat to other susceptible wildlife and domestic species. during an unrelated bovine tuberculosis experiment using captive buffalo in the kruger national park (knp), an outbreak of sat-1 occurred and was further investigated. the clinical signs were rec ...	2007	17194552
bovine tuberculosis in african buffaloes: observations regarding mycobacterium bovis shedding into water and exposure to environmental mycobacteria.	african buffaloes are the maintenance host for mycobacterium bovis in the endemically infected kruger national park (knp). the infection is primarily spread between buffaloes via the respiratory route, but it is not known whether shedding of m. bovis in nasal and oral excretions may lead to contamination of ground and surface water and facilitate the transmission to other animal species. a study to investigate the possibility of water contamination with m. bovis was conducted in association with ...	2007	17900356
ticks associated with the three largest wild ruminant species in southern africa.	the objective of this study was to assess the host status of the three largest southern african wild ruminants, namely giraffes, giraffa camelopardalis, african buffaloes, syncerus caffer, and eland, taurotragus oryx for ixodid ticks. to this end recently acquired unpublished data are added here to already published findings on the tick burdens of these animals, and the total numbers and species of ticks recorded on 12 giraffes, 18 buffaloes and 36 eland are summarized and discussed. twenty-eigh ...	2007	17933365
bovine tuberculosis in southern african wildlife: a multi-species host-pathogen system.	this review examines the current situation of bovine tuberculosis (btb) in southern african savannah systems, and uses theory on multi-species host-pathogen systems to suggest possible options for future research and management. in southern africa, the buffalo (syncerus caffer) and the kafue lechwe [marsh antelope] (kobus leche) have been found to be maintenance hosts for this disease, but the importance of other host species is becoming apparent. the role of other host species in the maintenanc ...	2007	16959052
massive outbreak of anthrax in wildlife in the malilangwe wildlife reserve, zimbabwe.	a massive outbreak of anthrax in the wildlife of the malilangwe wildlife reserve in zimbabwe between august and november 2004 resulted in the death of almost all the reserve's estimated 500 kudu (tragelaphus strepsiceros). other species badly affected were nyala (tragelaphus angasi), bushbuck (tragelaphus scriptus), waterbuck (kobus ellipsiprymnus) and roan antelope (hippotragus equinus), which suffered losses of approximately 68 per cent, 48 per cent, 44 per cent and 42 per cent of their popula ...	2007	17259452
selection at the y chromosome of the african buffalo driven by rainfall.	selection coefficients at the mammalian y chromosome typically do not deviate strongly from neutrality. here we show that strong balancing selection, maintaining intermediate frequencies of dna sequence variants, acts on the y chromosome in two populations of african buffalo (syncerus caffer). significant correlations exist between sequence variant frequencies and annual rainfall in the years before conception, with five- to eightfold frequency changes over short time periods. annual rainfall va ...	2007	17971851
mid-holocene decline in african buffalos inferred from bayesian coalescent-based analyses of microsatellites and mitochondrial dna.	genetic studies concerned with the demographic history of wildlife species can help elucidate the role of climate change and other forces such as human activity in shaping patterns of divergence and distribution. the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) declined dramatically during the rinderpest pandemic in the late 1800s, but little is known about the earlier demographic history of the species. we analysed genetic variation at 17 microsatellite loci and a 302-bp fragment of the mitochondrial dna ...	2008	19140976
climate extremes promote fatal co-infections during canine distemper epidemics in african lions.	extreme climatic conditions may alter historic host-pathogen relationships and synchronize the temporal and spatial convergence of multiple infectious agents, triggering epidemics with far greater mortality than those due to single pathogens. here we present the first data to clearly illustrate how climate extremes can promote a complex interplay between epidemic and endemic pathogens that are normally tolerated in isolation, but with co-infection, result in catastrophic mortality. a 1994 canine ...	2008	18575601
mycobacterium fortuitum infection interference with mycobacterium bovis diagnostics: natural infection cases and a pilot experimental infection.	mycobacterium fortuitum and at least 1 unidentified species of soil mycobacteria were isolated from lymph nodes from 4 of 5 african buffalo (syncerus caffer) that had been culled because of positive test results using the bovigam assay. the buffalo were part of a group of 16 free-ranging buffalo captured in the far north of the kruger national park (south africa) assumed to be free of bovine tuberculosis. no mycobacterium bovis was isolated. to investigate the possible cause of the apparent fals ...	2008	18599858
interactions between macroparasites and microparasites drive infection patterns in free-ranging african buffalo.	epidemiological studies typically focus on single-parasite systems, although most hosts harbor multiple parasite species; thus, the potential impacts of co-infection on disease dynamics are only beginning to be recognized. interactions between macroparasites, such as gastrointestinal nematodes, and microparasites causing diseases like tb, aids, and malaria are particularly interesting because co-infection may favor transmission and progression of these important diseases. here we present evidenc ...	2008	18724734
molecular characterization of sat-2 foot-and-mouth disease virus isolates obtained from cattle during a four-month period in 2001 in limpopo province, south africa.	foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) is an acute, highly contagious viral infection of domestic and wild cloven-hoofed animals. the virus is a single-stranded rna virus that has a high rate of nucleotide mutation and amino acid substitution. in southern africa the south african territories (sat) 1-3 serotypes of fmd virus are maintained by large numbers of african buffaloes (syncerus caffer), which provide a potential source of infection for domestic livestock and wild animals. during february 2001, an ...	2008	19294983
prevalence of antibodies against rift valley fever virus in kenyan wildlife.	rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an arbovirus associated with periodic outbreaks, mostly on the african continent, of febrile disease accompanied by abortion in livestock, and a severe, fatal haemorrhagic syndrome in humans. however, the maintenance of the virus during the inter-epidemic period (iep) when there is low or no disease activity detected in livestock or humans has not been determined. this study report prevalence of rvfv-neutralizing antibodies in sera (n=896) collected from 16 keny ...	2008	17988425
impacts of large herbivorous mammals on bird diversity and abundance in an african savanna.	large native mammals are declining dramatically in abundance across africa, with strong impacts on both plant and animal community dynamics. however, the net effects of this large-scale loss in megafauna are poorly understood because responses by several ecologically important groups have not been assessed. we used a large-scale, replicated exclusion experiment in kenya to investigate the impacts of different guilds of native and domestic large herbivores on the diversity and abundance of birds ...	2008	18288493
an exploration of diversity among the ostertagiinae (nematoda: trichostrongyloidea) in ungulates from sub-saharan africa with a proposal for a new genus.	abomasal nematodes (ostertagiine: trichostrongyloidea) representing a previously unrecognized genus and species are reported in african buffalo (syncerus caffer caffer) from kenya, uganda, and south africa. africanastrongylus buceros gen. nov. et sp. nov. is characterized by a symmetrical tapering synlophe in the cervical region and a maximum of 60 ridges in males and females. bursal structure is 2-2-1, with subequal rays 4/5, massive rays 8, and rays 9/10, and a massive dorsal lobe that is redu ...	2008	18372646
detection of trypanosoma brucei in field-captured tsetse flies and identification of host species fed on by the infected flies.	the prevalence of trypanosome infections in tsetse flies in the chiawa area of lower zambezi in zambia, with endemic trypanosomosis, was determined by a polymerase chain reaction (pcr) method that allowed the detection of trypanosome dna and determination of the type of animal host fed on by the tsetse fly glossina pallidipes, using tsetse-derived dna extracts as templates. ninety g. pallidipes (82 females and 8 males; 18.3%) of the 492 flies captured by baited biconical traps tested positive fo ...	2008	18399780
high variation and very low differentiation in wide ranging plains zebra (equus quagga): insights from mtdna and microsatellites.	patterns of genetic differentiation in the plains zebra (equus quagga) were analysed using mitochondrial dna control region variation and seven microsatellites. the six morphologically defined subspecies of plains zebra lacked the population genetic structure indicative of distinct evolutionary units. both marker sets showed high levels of genetic variation and very low levels of differentiation. there was no geographical structuring of mitochondrial dna haplotypes in the phylogenetic tree, and ...	2008	18466230
development and evaluation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction test for the detection of theileria parva infections in cape buffalo (syncerus caffer) and cattle.	corridor disease, caused by the tick-borne protozoan parasite theileria parva, is a controlled disease in south africa. the cape buffalo is the reservoir host and uninfected buffalo have become sought-after by the game industry in south africa, particularly for introduction into corridor disease-free areas. a real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr) test for detection of t. parva dna in buffalo and cattle was developed to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the official diagnostic test p ...	2008	18514421
habitat quality and heterogeneity influence distribution and behavior in african buffalo (syncerus caffer).	top-down effects of predators on prey behavior and population dynamics have been extensively studied. however, some populations of very large herbivores appear to be regulated primarily from the bottom up. given the importance of food resources to these large herbivores, it is reasonable to expect that forage heterogeneity (variation in quality and quantity) affects individual and group behaviors as well as distribution on the landscape. forage heterogeneity is often strongly driven by underlyin ...	2008	18543637
recombinant nucleocapsid-based elisa for detection of igg antibody to rift valley fever virus in african buffalo.	wild ruminants are thought to serve as natural hosts for rift valley fever virus (rvfv) but the role of these animals as reservoirs for rvfv during inter-epidemic periods and as amplifiers during epidemics is not well understood. an indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay (i-elisa) based on the recombinant nucleocapsid protein (rnp) of rvfv was validated for the detection of specific igg antibodies in african buffalo. data sets derived from testing buffalo sera from kenya (n=405) and south africa (n= ...	2008	17884306
trade-offs of predation and foraging explain sexual segregation in african buffalo.	1. many studies have investigated why males and females segregate spatially in sexually dimorphic species. these studies have focused primarily on temperate zone ungulates in areas lacking intact predator communities, and few have directly assessed predation rates in different social environments. 2. data on the movement, social affiliation, mortality and foraging of radio-collared african buffalo (syncerus caffer) were collected from 2001-06 in the kruger national park, south africa. 3. the vas ...	2008	18547347
repair of horn and frontal bone avulsion in a forest buffalo (syncerus caffer nanus) with a polymethylmethacrylate dressing.	a 2-yr-old female forest buffalo (syncerus caffer nanus) presented with acute trauma to the right horn following a fight with a conspecific resulting in fracture and avulsion of the frontal bone, cornual process, horn, and juxtaposed skin. the animal was sedated for wound care and debridement followed by placement of an antibacterial-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate (pmma) dressing. the dressing was noted to be intact on examination at day 7 post-injury, but had become dislodged and had to be ...	2008	18432102
the facial integument of centrosaurine ceratopsids: morphological and histological correlates of novel skin structures.	the horned dinosaur pachyhinosaurus possesses rugose bony bosses across the skull roof in lieu of the projecting bony horn cores seen in most ceratopsians. this elaboration of typical ceratopsian ornaments provides an opportunity to test hypotheses of ceratopsian facial skin morphology and function. we analyze bone morphology and histology associated with several classes of skin features in extant amniotes using a classification tree analysis. we isolate key osteological and histological correla ...	2009	19711467
'emerging' mycobacteria in south africa.	disease can be caused by various species of the genus mycobacterium. a number of reports, both published and unpublished, of rarely reported mycobacteria have surfaced in south africa in the last few years. some unusual hosts have also been involved, causing concern in some quarters.these include reports on mycobacterium goodii in a spotted hyaena (crocuta crocuta), m. xenopi in a ruffed lemur (varecia variegata), m. intracellulare in wild-caught chacma baboons (papio ursinus), the 'dassie bacil ...	2009	20458859
clinical demodicosis in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) in the kruger national park.	we investigated the relationship between prevalence and severity of clinical signs of demodex cafferi infection in free-ranging african buffalo (syncerus caffer) and other factors such as age, sex, pregnancy status, and concomitant infections with bovine tuberculosis (btb), rift valley fever (rvf), and brucellosis (ba). approximately half of 203 buffalo examined in this study had clinical signs of demodicosis (cutaneous nodules); younger age classes had the highest prevalence and severity of les ...	2009	19395760
theileria-infected cell line from an african buffalo (syncerus caffer).	mononuclear cells were isolated from the peripheral blood of a buffalo infected with a theileria sp. using density gradient centrifugation, and the cells were put into culture flasks covered by a monolayer of bovine endothelial cells. twenty days after culture initiation, cells containing macroschizonts were detected in giemsa-stained smears. the first subculture was carried out on day 45 of culture propagation. subsequently, infected cells were subcultured twice a week, and each time 1 to 2 x 1 ...	2009	19430815
detection of theileria parva antibodies in the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) in the livestock-wildlife interface areas of zambia.	a serolocigical survey was conducted for the detection of theileria parva antibodies in 176 african buffaloes (syncerus caffer) sampled between 1996 and 2005 in livestock-wildlife interface areas of zambia. rhipicephalus appendiculatus, rhipicephalus species, and amblyomma variegatum were the most abundant tick species identified on buffaloes. t. parva sero-positives were reported in buffaloes sampled from game management areas at mlanga and nanzhila bordering the kafue national parks and in the ...	2009	19733007
methods for assessing movement path recursion with application to african buffalo in south africa.	recent developments of automated methods for monitoring animal movement, e.g., global positioning systems (gps) technology, yield high-resolution spatiotemporal data. to gain insights into the processes creating movement patterns, we present two new techniques for extracting information from these data on repeated visits to a particular site or patch ("recursions"). identification of such patches and quantification of recursion pathways, when combined with patch-related ecological data, should c ...	2009	19769125
molecular epidemiology of mycobacterium bovis isolates from free-ranging wildlife in south african game reserves.	bovine tuberculosis is endemic in african buffalo and a number of other wildlife species in the kruger national park (knp) and hluhluwe-imfolozi park (hip) in south africa. it was thought that the infection had been introduced into the knp ecosystem through direct contact between cattle and buffalo, a hypothesis which was confirmed in this study by is6110 and pgrs restriction fragment length polymorphism (rflp) typing. the molecular characterisation of 189 mycobacterium bovis isolates from nine ...	2009	18786785
comparative field evaluation of two rapid immunochromatographic tests for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in african buffaloes (syncerus caffer).	panels of sera from african buffalo with confirmed bovine tuberculosis and from known uninfected controls were used to evaluate the performance of two commercial rapid chromatographic immunoassays (a and b) for the detection of antibodies to mycobacterium bovis. the sensitivity was 33% and 23%, respectively, while the specificity was determined at 90% and 94%, respectively. overall the performance of both diagnostic tests under field conditions was not found sufficiently high to support their us ...	2009	19007999
in vitro production of cattlexbuffalo hybrid embryos using cattle oocytes and african buffalo (syncerus caffer caffer) epididymal sperm.	interspecies hybridization of bovids occurs between domestic cattle and at least three other species; american bison (bison bison), yak (bos grunniens) and banteng (bos banteng). birth of a cattlexbuffalo (bubalus bubalis) hybrid has reportedly occurred in russia and in china, but these reports were not authenticated. such hybrids could be important in improving livestock production and management of diseases that impede production in tropical africa. this study investigated hybridization betwee ...	2009	19118889
functional cd1d and/or nkt cell invariant chain transcript in horse, pig, african elephant and guinea pig, but not in ruminants.	cd1d-restricted invariant natural killer t cells (nkt cells) have been well characterized in humans and mice, but it is unknown whether they are present in other species. here we describe the invariant tcr alpha chain and the full length cd1d transcript of pig and horse. molecular modeling predicts that porcine (po) invariant tcr alpha chain/pocd1d/alpha-galcer and equine (eq) invariant tcr alpha chain/eqcd1d/alpha-galcer form complexes that are highly homologous to the human complex. since a pr ...	2009	19185921
evaluation of hematologic values in free-ranging african buffalo (syncerus caffer).	as part of a large-scale disease screening program, blood samples were collected from 534 african buffalo (syncerus caffer) in south africa's hluhluwe-imfolozi park in october 2005 and may 2006 to establish age- and sex-specific reference intervals for erythrogram and leukogram values. sixty-seven of the animals were positive for bovine tuberculosis (tb), allowing for comparisons between tb-positive and tb-negative groups. positive animals had basopenia and slight lymphopenia compared to tb-nega ...	2009	19204335
currently important animal disease management issues in sub-saharan africa.	the present international approach to management of transboundary animal diseases (tads) is based on the assumption that most can be eradicated; consequently, that is the usual objective adopted by international organizations concerned with animal health. however, for sub-saharan africa and southern africa more particularly, eradication of most tads is impossible for the foreseeable future for a variety of technical, financial and logistical reasons. compounding this, the present basis for acces ...	2009	19967938
can small wildlife conservancies maintain genetically stable populations of large mammals? evidence for increased genetic drift in geographically restricted populations of cape buffalo in east africa.	the cape buffalo (syncerus caffer caffer) is one of the dominant and most widespread herbivores in sub-saharan africa. high levels of genetic diversity and exceptionally low levels of population differentiation have been found in the cape buffalo compared to other african savannah ungulates. patterns of genetic variation reveal large effective population sizes and indicate that cape buffalos have historically been interbreeding across considerable distances. throughout much of its range, the cap ...	2010	20298469
trypanosoma brucei infection in asymptomatic greater kudus (tragelaphus strepsiceros) on a game ranch in zambia.	trypomastogotes of trypanosoma brucei were detected from 4 asymptomatic kudus (tragelaphus strepsiceros) on a game ranch located approximately 45 km north east of lusaka, zambia. blood smears examined from 14 wildlife species comprising of the impala (aepyceros melampus), kafue lechwe (kobus leche kafuensis), sable antelope (hippotragus niger), tsessebe (damaliscus lunatus), warthog (phacochoerus aethiopicus), puku (kobus vardoni), zebra (equus burchelli), waterbuck (kobus ellipsiprymnus), bushb ...	2010	20333288
rainfall-driven sex-ratio genes in african buffalo suggested by correlations between y-chromosomal haplotype frequencies and foetal sex ratio.	the y-chromosomal diversity in the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) population of kruger national park (knp) is characterized by rainfall-driven haplotype frequency shifts between year cohorts. stable y-chromosomal polymorphism is difficult to reconcile with haplotype frequency variations without assuming frequency-dependent selection or specific interactions in the population dynamics of x- and y-chromosomal genes, since otherwise the fittest haplotype would inevitably sweep to fixation. stabl ...	2010	20416038
a new species of trichostrongyloid in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) (artiodactyla: bovinae) from uganda.	africanastrongylus giganticus n. sp. is described based on large ostertagiine nematodes occurring in the abomasum of african buffalo, syncerus caffer, from uganda; this represents the second species recognized in the genus. specimens of a. giganticus are characterized by large size (15-19 mm in total length), a strongly tapering synlophe in the cervical region, and a great number of ridges at all levels of the body (maximum 72 attained in the third quarter); numbers of ridges exceed that reporte ...	2010	19874071
sarcoptes mite epidemiology and treatment in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) calves captured for translocation from the kafue game management area to game ranches.	in zambia, translocation of wildlife from national parks to private owned game ranches demands that only animals free of infectious diseases that could adversely affect the expansion of the wildlife industry should be translocated to game ranches. sarcoptes mange (sarcoptes scarbiei) has been involved in the reduction of wildlife populations in some species.	2010	20515454
antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) virus in african buffalos (syncerus caffer) in selected national parks in uganda (2001-2003).	in east africa, the foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) virus (fmdv) isolates have over time included serotypes o, a, c, southern african territories (sat) 1 and sat 2, mainly from livestock. sat 3 has only been isolated in a few cases and only in african buffalos (syncerus caffer). to investigate the presence of antibodies against fmdv serotypes in wildlife in uganda, serological studies were performed on buffalo serum samples collected between 2001 and 2003. thirty-eight samples from african buffalos ...	2010	20561289
occurrence of theileria parva and other haemoprotozoa in cattle at the edge of hluhluwe-imfolozi park, kwazulu-natal, south africa.	theileria parva, the most important bovine theilerial species in sub-saharan africa, causes widespread mortality and morbidity in endemic areas. a survey was conducted using buffy-coat specimens from 60 apparently healthy adult communally herded nguni-type cattle at the northeastern edge of the hluhluwe-imfolozi park to determine, by means of pcr and reverse line blot (rlb) hybridisation, the occurrence of theileria and babesia species. the presence of trypanosoma species was determined using pc ...	2010	20649154
bcg vaccination failed to protect yearling african buffaloes (syncerus caffer) against experimental intratonsilar challenge with mycobacterium bovis.	vaccination has been discussed as a practical option to control bovine tuberculosis in countries where a wildlife reservoir of the disease is present. african buffaloes (syncerus caffer) are the main wildlife reservoir of mycobacterium bovis in certain south african game parks and vaccination is not only the most promising but the only ethically acceptable control measure currently available. the use of bacillus calmette-guérin vaccine (pasteur strain) to vaccinate fourteen african buffalo yearl ...	2010	20684850
hidden consequences of living in a wormy world: nematode‐induced immune suppression facilitates tuberculosis invasion in african buffalo.	most hosts are infected with multiple parasites, and responses of the immune system to co-occurring parasites may influence disease spread. helminth infection can bias the host immune response toward a t-helper type 2 (th2) over a type 1 (th1) response, impairing the host’s ability to control concurrent intracellular microparasite infections and potentially modifying disease dynamics. in humans, immune-mediated interactions between helminths and microparasites can alter host susceptibility to di ...	2010	20849271
haemoparasite prevalence and theileria parva strain diversity in cape buffalo (syncerus caffer) in uganda.	cape buffalo (syncerus caffer) are considered to be an important reservoir for various tick-borne haemoparasites of veterinary importance. in this study we have compared the haemoparasite carrier prevalence in buffalo from four geographically isolated national parks in uganda [lake mburo national park (lmnp), queen elizabeth national park (qenp), murchison falls national park (mfnp) and kidepo valley national park (kvnp)]. differences were seen in haemoparasite prevalence in buffalo from the fou ...	2010	21074945
the prevalence of cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in wild mammals in the kruger national park, south africa.	this study determined the prevalence of cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in faecal samples from elephant (loxodonta africana), buffalo (syncerus caffer) and impala (aepyceros melampus) in the kruger national park (knp) and an adjacent game reserve in south africa. two of the study areas were in close proximity to rural communities on the western knp boundary and the third study area was located in the centre of the knp. fresh stool samples (n=445) were collected and tested using an immunofluorescent ...	2010	21075528
approaches towards optimising the gamma interferon assay for diagnosing mycobacterium bovis infection in african buffalo (syncerus caffer).	the application of diagnostic tests for bovine tuberculosis in wildlife poses formidable technical difficulties and the use of the gamma interferon assay offers a simplified approach to testing wild animal species. we compared the performance of the gamma interferon assay in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) under the recommended guidelines for interpretation of test results and found a high sensitivity (92.1%) at the cost of a greatly reduced specificity (68.3%). the optimised cut-off value for ...	2010	21122932
the role of african buffalos (syncerus caffer) in the maintenance of foot-and-mouth disease in uganda.	to study the role of african buffalos (syncerus caffer) in the maintenance of foot-and-mouth disease in uganda, serum samples were collected from 207 african buffalos, 21 impalas (aepyceros melampus), 1 giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis), 1 common eland (taurotragus oryx), 7 hartebeests (alcelaphus buselaphus) and 5 waterbucks (kobus ellipsiprymnus) from four major national parks in uganda between 2005 and 2008. serum samples were screened to detect antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease virus ...	2010	21143994
an investigation of the effects of secondary processing on mycobacterium spp. in naturally infected game meat and organs.	the risk for humans to contract bovine tuberculosis through the consumption of undercooked game meat as well as biltong (traditionally dried game meat) is a concern. the survival potential of mycobacterium bovis during the cooking and drying processes was researched in a preceding study on beef and the positive results compelled the authors to investigate the results with a similar preliminary study on game meat. muscular, lymphatic and visceral tissues from skin test positive african buffalo (s ...	2010	21247043
from moonlight to movement and synchronized randomness: fourier and wavelet analyses of animal location time series data.	high-resolution animal location data are increasingly available, requiring analytical approaches and statistical tools that can accommodate the temporal structure and transient dynamics (non-stationarity) inherent in natural systems. traditional analyses often assume uncorrelated or weakly correlated temporal structure in the velocity (net displacement) time series constructed using sequential location data. we propose that frequency and time-frequency domain methods, embodied by fourier and wav ...	2010	20503882
use of habitat resources by scarab dung beetles in an savanna.	in the queen elizabeth national park, uganda, we compared the scarab beetle assemblages in the dung of three wild ungulates (african buffalo, a ruminant foregut fermenter; hippopotamus, nonruminant foregut fermenter; and warthog, nonruminant hindgut fermenter). dung was collected from two sandy-clay soils with different percentage of coarse sand. we aimed at investigating habitat resource selection by dung beetle species within a savanna natural contest with abundant and diverse food availabilit ...	2010	22182540
gousiekte in african buffalo (syncerus caffer).	three african buffalo (syncerus caffer) that died after capture and translocation from mutirikwe recreational park in southern zimbabwe showed macroscopic and microscopic lesions of cardiomyopathy compatible with a diagnosis of gousiekte. the buffalo had had access to pavetta schumanniana, a plant that is known to cause gousiekte. death was attributed to cardiac failure as a result of previous consumption of the plant, exacerbated by the stress of translocation.	2010	21247044
preliminary report of transfrontier disease surveillance in free-ranging buffalo in the caprivi strip, namibia.	a capture operation to ascertain the health status of free-ranging buffalo (syncerus caffer) from six areas in the caprivi strip in the north-east corner of namibia is described. in-depth reports on buffalo capture operations and their cost, with detailed descriptions of diseases for research purposes, sampling techniques, field processing of samples and laboratory-related costs are still lacking in the literature. this paper describes materials, methods and the related costs of a disease survei ...	2010	20857377
from host immunity to pathogen invasion: the effects of helminth coinfection on the dynamics of microparasites.	concurrent infections with multiple parasites are ubiquitous in nature. coinfecting parasites can interact with one another in a variety of ways, including through the host's immune system via mechanisms such as immune trade-offs and immunosuppression. these within-host immune processes mediating interactions among parasites have been described in detail, but how they scale up to determine disease dynamic patterns at the population level is only beginning to be explored. in this review, we use h ...	2011	21727178
diversity in the 18s ssu rrna v4 hyper-variable region of theileria spp. in cape buffalo ( syncerus caffer) and cattle from southern africa.	summarysequence variation within the 18s ssu rrna v4 hyper-variable region can affect the accuracy of real-time hybridization probe-based diagnostics for the detection of theileria spp. infections. this is relevant for assays that use non-specific primers, such as the real-time hybridization assay for t. parva (sibeko et al. 2008). to assess the effect of sequence variation on this test, the theileria 18s gene from 62 buffalo and 49 cattle samples was cloned and ~1000 clones sequenced. twenty-si ...	2011	21349232
rift valley fever virus infection in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) herds in rural south africa: evidence of interepidemic transmission.	rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an emerging biodefense pathogen that poses significant threats to human and livestock health. to date, the interepidemic reservoirs of rvfv are not well defined. in a longitudinal survey of infectious diseases among african buffalo during 2000-2006, 550 buffalo were tested for antibodies against rvfv in 820 capture events in 302 georeferenced locations in kruger national park, south africa. overall, 115 buffalo (21%) were seropositive. seroprevalence of rvfv was ...	2011	21460024
thelazia rhodesii in the african buffalo, syncerus caffer, in zambia.	we report 2 cases of thelazia rhodesii infection in the african buffaloes, syncerus caffer, in zambia. african buffalo calves were captured from the livestock and wildlife interface area of the kafue basin in the dry season of august 2005 for the purpose to translocate to game ranches. at capture, calves (n=48) were examined for the presence of eye infections by gently manipulating the orbital membranes to check for eye-worms in the conjunctival sacs and corneal surfaces. two (4.3%) were infecte ...	2011	21461276
mixed theileria infections in free-ranging buffalo herds: implications for diagnosing theileria parva infections in cape buffalo ( syncerus caffer).	summarybuffalo-adapted theileria parva causes corridor disease in cattle. strict control measures therefore apply to the movement of buffalo in south africa and include mandatory testing of buffalo for the presence of t. parva. the official test is a real-time hybridization pcr assay that amplifies the v4 hypervariable region of the 18s rrna gene of t. parva, t. sp. (buffalo) and t. sp. (bougasvlei). the effect that mixed t. parva and t. sp. (buffalo)-like infections have on accurate t. parva di ...	2011	21524322
a questionnaire-based evaluation of the veterinary cordon fence separating wildlife and livestock along the boundary of the kruger national park, south africa.	veterinary cordon fences are used in southern africa to separate wildlife from domestic animals in order to prevent transmission of infectious diseases. such fences are a control method recognized by the world organization for animal health (oie) for establishing disease-free zones in beef exporting countries. however, few studies have evaluated the ecological impact of these physical barriers or their effectiveness at a multispecies level. we examined the permeability of one such barrier, along ...	2011	21536336
two theileria parva cd8 t cell antigen genes are more variable in buffalo than cattle parasites, but differ in pattern of sequence diversity.	theileria parva causes an acute fatal disease in cattle, but infections are asymptomatic in the african buffalo (syncerus caffer). cattle can be immunized against the parasite by infection and treatment, but immunity is partially strain specific. available data indicate that cd8(+) t lymphocyte responses mediate protection and, recently, several parasite antigens recognised by cd8(+) t cells have been identified. this study set out to determine the nature and extent of polymorphism in two of the ...	2011	21559495
modification of the quantiferon-tb gold (in-tube) assay for the diagnosis of mycobacterium bovis infection in african buffaloes (syncerus caffer).	african buffaloes (syncerus caffer) are the most significant wildlife maintenance hosts of mycobacterium bovis, the causative organism of bovine tuberculosis (btb). current diagnostic tests for the detection of m. bovis infection in free-ranging buffaloes have numerous limitations and we wished to evaluate a modification to a human tb assay, the quantiferon-tb gold (in-tube) assay (qft), as a practical diagnostic test for btb in buffaloes. one hundred and seventy-five buffaloes were tested using ...	2011	21561669
the importance of fmdv localisation in lymphoid tissue.	foot-and-mouth disease virus, a highly contagious pathogen that can cause lameness, low weight and decreased milk production, is a scourge of agricultural livestock around the world. although the acute phase of infection is rarely fatal, infection may persist in animals that have apparently recovered, creating a viral reservoir that some fear could contribute to the spread of disease. we have used an array of molecular techniques to search for traces of virus in tissues from the mouths and throa ...	2011	21616546
body size and the division of niche space: food and predation differentially shape the distribution of serengeti grazers.	1. theory predicts that small grazers are regulated by the digestive quality of grass, while large grazers extract sufficient nutrients from low-quality forage and are regulated by its abundance instead. in addition, predation potentially affects populations of small grazers more than large grazers, because predators have difficulty capturing and handling large prey. 2. we analyse the spatial distribution of five grazer species of different body size in relation to gradients of food availability ...	2011	21801174
comparative intradermal tuberculin testing of free-ranging african buffaloes (syncerus caffer) captured for ex situ conservation in the kafue basin ecosystem in zambia.	bovine tuberculosis (btb) is endemic in african buffaloes (syncerus caffer) in some national parks in southern africa, whilst no studies have been conducted on btb on buffalo populations in zambia. the increased demand for ecotourism and conservation of the african buffalo on private owned game ranches has prompted the zambian wildlife authority (zawa) and private sector in zambia to generate a herd of "btb-free buffaloes" for ex situ conservation. in the present study, 86 african buffaloes from ...	2011	21776347
identification of theileria parva and theileria sp. (buffalo) 18s rrna gene sequence variants in the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) in southern africa.	theileria parva is the causative agent of corridor disease in cattle in south africa. the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) is the reservoir host, and, as these animals are important for eco-tourism in south africa, it is compulsory to test and certify them disease free prior to translocation. a t. parva-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr) test based on the small subunit ribosomal rna (18s rrna) gene is one of the tests used for the diagnosis of the parasite in buffalo and cattle ...	2011	21700394
characterisation of the wildlife reservoir community for human and animal trypanosomiasis in the luangwa valley, zambia.	animal and human trypanosomiasis are constraints to both animal and human health in sub-saharan africa, but there is little recent evidence as to how these parasites circulate in wild hosts in natural ecosystems. the luangwa valley in zambia supports high densities of tsetse flies (glossina species) and is recognised as an historical sleeping sickness focus. the objective of this study was to characterise the nature of the reservoir community for trypanosomiasis in the absence of influence from ...	2011	21713019