Nosipho Radebe
Experts monitoring disease within the elephant population at the Kruger National Park are no closer to uncovering how an elephant contracted human tuberculosis.
The case was discovered in 2016 when testing of an elephant carcass revealed the 40-year-old adult bull had succumbed to the disease.
According to Veterinarian and Senior Manager at Kruger National Park Dr Peter Buss it remains a mystery how the animal contracted the strain.
Giving possible scenarios, Dr Buss says scientists believe that the elephant may have had access to food in some communities given that only bovine or cattle TB has been known to circulate in the park.
At least 40 elephants have been tested as part of research to determine the extent of the impact the disease might have on the wildlife system.
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Dr Buss explains that TB is not treated in the wild due to the intensity of the treatment.
Research Chair in Animal Tuberculosis at Stellenbosch University Dr Michele Miller says before this case was discovered scientists didn’t think that elephants were affected by TB as widely as other species including lions and buffalo.
Dr Miller says a testing program has since been developed to look for the bacteria in respiratory secretion similar to how humans are tested for TB as well as blood tests to rapidly screen elephants for infection.
She says the development of the diagnostic tests appears to be showing promising signs that the information collected will help understand how the elephants are infected and whether it has long term consequences.
Meanwhile, Veterinary Technologist Tebogo Manamela says the blood, tissue, hair and feces samples collected from the elephants when they are immobilised is kept in a biological bank managed for research projects.
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