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We screened African wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ) in Kruger National Park, South Africa, for Mycobacterium bovis infection using an interferon-gamma release assay. We detected M. bovis sensitization in 20 of 21 packs; overall apparent infection prevalence was 83%. These animals experience high infection pressure, which may affect long-term survival and conservation strategies.

Introduction Acute phase reactants (APRs) have not been investigated in free‐living African elephants (Loxodonta africana), and there is little information about negative APRs albumin and serum iron in elephants. Objectives We aimed to generate reference intervals (RIs) for APRs for free‐living African elephants, and to determine the diagnostic performance of APRs in apparently healthy elephants and elephants with inflammatory lesions. Methods Stored serum samples from 49 apparently healthy and 16 injured free‐living elephants were used. The following APRs and methods were included: albumin, bromocresol green; haptoglobin, colorimetric assay; serum amyloid A (SAA), multispecies immunoturbidometric assay, and serum iron with ferrozine method. Reference intervals were generated using the nonparametric method. Indices of diagnostic accuracy were determined by receiver‐operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results Reference intervals were: albumin 41–55 g/L, haptoglobin 0.16–3.51 g/L, SAA < 10 mg/L, and serum iron 8.60–16.99 μmol/L. Serum iron and albumin concentrations were lower and haptoglobin and SAA concentrations were higher in the injured group. Serum iron had the best ability to predict health or inflammation, followed by haptoglobin, SAA, and albumin, with the area under the ROC curve ranging from 0.88–0.93. Conclusions SAA concentrations were lower in healthy African vs Asian elephants, and species‐specific RIs should be used. Serum iron was determined to be a diagnostically useful negative APR which should be added to APR panels for elephants.

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is listed as vulnerable, with wild populations threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Clinical pathology is used to detect and monitor disease and injury, however existing reference interval (RI) studies for this species have been performed with outdated analytical methods, small sample sizes or using only managed animals. The aim of this study was to generate hematology and clinical chemistry RIs, using samples from the free-ranging elephant population in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Hematology RIs were derived from EDTA whole blood samples automatically analyzed (n = 23); manual PCV measured from 48 samples; and differential cell count results (n = 51) were included. Clinical chemistry RIs were generated from the results of automated analyzers on stored serum samples (n = 50). Reference intervals were generated according to American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines with a strict exclusion of outliers. Hematology RIs were: PCV 34–49%, RBC 2.80–3.96 × 1012/L, HGB 116–163 g/L, MCV 112–134 fL, MCH 35.5–45.2 pg, MCHC 314–364 g/L, PLT 182–386 × 109/L, WBC 7.5–15.2 × 109/L, segmented heterophils 1.5–4.0 × 109/L, band heterophils 0.0–0.2 × 109/L, total monocytes 3.6–7.6 × 109/L (means for “regular” were 35.2%, bilobed 8.6%, round 3.9% of total leukocytes), lymphocytes 1.1–5.5 × 109/L, eosinophils 0.0–0.9 × 109/L, basophils 0.0–0.1 × 109/L. Clinical chemistry RIs were: albumin 41–55 g/L, ALP 30–122 U/L, AST 9–34 U/L, calcium 2.56–3.02 mmol/L, CK 85–322 U/L, GGT 7–16 U/L, globulin 30–59 g/L, magnesium 1.15–1.70 mmol/L, phosphorus 1.28–2.31 mmol/L, total protein 77–109 g/L, urea 1.2–4.6 mmol/L. Reference intervals were narrower than those reported in other studies. These RI will be helpful in the future management of injured or diseased elephants in national parks and zoological settings.

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infects a wide range of wildlife species and has recently been discovered in the endangered African wild dog (Lycaon pictus). This study aimed to characterize the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in wild dogs in endemic areas of South Africa. We describe 12 TB cases in wild dogs from Kruger National Park (KNP), Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park (HiP) and a private facility in Hoedspruit from 2015 to 2017. Spoligotyping was used to identify the disease‐causing M. bovis strain in these cases, and whole‐genome sequencing was performed on 5 M. bovis isolates (KNP = 2 and HiP = 3) to investigate genomic diversity as well as the relationship to other isolates found in these geographical areas. Three distinct strain types were responsible for the M. bovis infections in this species. The SB0121 strain was observed in wild dogs from KNP, whereas SB0130 was responsible for infection in wild dogs from HiP. A novel strain, SB2681, was also identified in the HiP wild dogs. Whole‐genome sequence analysis suggests that different infection sources exist among these wild dogs and that inter‐species transmission most likely occurred between wildlife predators and prey located within shared geographical areas. This study highlights the importance of regular disease surveillance to identify and characterize potential threats for successful control of infection and protection of endangered species.

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Twenty free-ranging warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, were immobilized with a combination of etorphine (0.039 ± 0.005 mg/kg) and azaperone (0.44 ± 0.06 mg/kg) administered intramuscularly by dart. Butorphanol (1 mg per mg etorphine) was administered intravenously at t = 5 min. A standardized scoring system was used to record induction, immobilization and recovery characteristics. Physiological parameters were recorded at 5 min intervals and an arterial sample collected for blood gas analyses every 15 min. At 45 min after butorphanol administration, immobilization was partially reversed by administering naltrexone (40x etorphine dose in mg) intravenously. Overall, induction quality was good, with the mean time to safe handling 5.9 ± 1.4 min. The majority of immobilization scores (54%) over the entire monitoring period (40 min) were at level 3, consistent with a light plane in which palpebral and laryngeal reflexes were still present but the animal could be safely handled. Overall mean heart rate was 94.7 ± 15.3 beats per min, mean respiratory rate was 14.7 ± 9.8 breaths per min, and the mean rectal temperature was 38.5 ± 1.0°C. Significant hypoxia (overall mean oxygen arterial partial pressure 38.8 ± 8.4 mmHg), hypercapnia (mean carbon dioxide arterial partial pressure 63.3 ± 7.8 mmHg), and acidosis (mean pH 7.28 ± 0.04) were observed in immobilized warthogs. Following antagonist administration, warthogs were standing within 1.0 ± 0.4 min, with the majority of recoveries scored as excellent. The drug combination proved to be effective in the immobilization of free-ranging warthogs with rapid induction and recovery, but with significant cardio-respiratory changes. Therefore, this drug combination may be useful when rapid immobilization and recovery are indicated, but should be used cautiously in compromised warthogs.