A Survey of Brucellosis in Game Animals in Rhodesia

Abstract

To establish the incidence of brucellosis in wildlife in Rhodesia, serum samples of 469 game animals, mainly ungulate species, were examined for Brucella abortus agglutinins; 371 of these were also tested against Brucella melitensis antigen. In addition testicles of 923 males were collected and inspected for pathological lesions. The survey, which covered more than 1,000 wild animals in 14 different localities, produced no evidence for enzootic brucellosis in game in these areas. A positive agglutinin titre in a buffalo, and suspicious serum agglutinations in another buffalo and a rhinoceros indicated, however, that Brucella organisms do occur naturally amongst wild ungulates; they may persist in a latent form without affecting the reproductivity of the game population. Comparison of results obtained from ranching areas in which contagious abortion was common in cattle, and from unsettled savannah lands gave no indication of a possible significance of game animals as a reservoir for bovine brucellosis. The specificity of low titre agglutinations, observed in greater numbers only in eland, impala and waterbuck, is discussed.