Seroepidemiological Prevalence of Multiple Species of Filoviruses in Fruit Bats (Eidolon helvum) Migrating in Africa.

Fruit bats are suspected to be a natural reservoir of filoviruses, including Ebola and Marburg viruses. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on the viral glycoprotein antigens, we detected filovirus-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in 71 of 748 serum samples collected from migratory fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) in Zambia during 2006-2013. Although antibodies to African filoviruses (eg, Zaire ebolavirus) were most prevalent, some serum samples showed distinct specificity for Reston ebolavirus, which that has thus far been found only in Asia.

The Nexus between Bovine Tuberculosis and Fasciolosis Infections in Cattle of the Kafue Basin Ecosystem in Zambia: Implications on Abattoir Surveillance.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and fasciolosis are important but neglected diseases that result in chronic infections in cattle. However, in Zambia, these diseases are mainly diagnosed at abattoirs during routine meat inspection. Albeit the coinfection status, these diseases have been reported as nothing more than normal separate findings without an explanatory phenomena.

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 four different herds comprising a total of 530 animals were investigated for the presence of BTB for the purpose of generating "BTB free" buffalo for ex-situ conservation.

Investigating effects of parasite infection on body condition of the Kafue lechwe (Kobus leche kafuensis) in the Kafue basin.

Background: The Kafue lechwe (Kobus leche Kafuensis), a medium-sized semi-aquatic antelope, is endemic to the Kafue basin of Zambia. The population of the Kafue lechwe has significantly dropped in the last decades leading to its subsequent inclusion on the red list of endangered species. In order to save the remaining population from extinction, it has become increasingly important that the impact of parasite infection and infestation on the Kafue lechwe is investigated.

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), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), reedbuck (Redunca arundinum), wilderbeest (Connochaetes taurinus), hartebeest (Alcephelus lichtensteini), African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) showed that only the kudu had T. brucei.

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.

Quantitative analysis of cytokine mRNA expression and protozoan DNA load in Theileria parva-infected cattle.

Theileria parva (T. parva) causes a highly serious bovine disease called East Coast fever (ECF), which is characterized by pyrexia, dyspnea and cachexia and is of great economic importance in African countries. We hypothesize that the clinical symptoms of ECF could be explained by a cytokine dysregulation.

PCR-based detection of blood parasites in cattle and adult Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks.

To ascertain the infection rate for tick-borne pathogens in Zambia, an epidemiological survey of Theileria parva, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale in traditionally managed Sanga cattle was conducted using PCR. Of the 71 native Zambian cattle, 28 (39.4%) were positive for T.

Development of a multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) method for the simultaneous detection of bovine Babesia parasites.

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique has been used as a novel nucleic acid detection method, whereby the target DNA can be amplified with high specificity and sensitivity under an isothermal condition using a set of four specific primers. In this study, we designed two sets of the LAMP primers for rhoptry-associated protein-1 genes of Babesia bovis and B. bigemina, in which a restriction enzyme cleavage site was inserted into two pairs of species-specific primers to construct a multiplex LAMP (mLAMP) method by combining these two sets totaling eight primers.

Attachment duration required for Rhipicephalus appendiculatus to transmit Theileria parva to the host.

Theileria parva, the agent of East Coast fever (ECF), is transmitted to the host during the blood meal feeding of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks. In order to investigate the relationship between the attachment duration of R. appendiculatus and the transmission of T.

Species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for diagnosis of trypanosomosis.

In this study, we developed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the specific detection of both animal and human trypanosomosis using primer sets that are designed from 5.8S rRNA-internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) gene for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, 18S rRNA for both T. congolense and T.

Acquisition and transmission of Theileria parva by vector tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus.

In order to investigate the transmission dynamics of Theileria parva (T. parva) by the brown ear tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (R. appendiculatus), under experimental conditions, detection of T.

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.

Detection of Salmonella invA by isothermal and chimeric primer-initiated amplification of nucleic acids (ICAN) in Zambia.

The isothermal and chimeric primer-initiated amplification of nucleic acids (ICAN) is a new isothermal DNA amplification method composed of exo Bca DNA polymerase, RNaseH and DNA-RNA chimeric primers. We detected invA of Salmonella from chicken carcasses, egg yolk and cattle fecal samples. Fifty-three of 59 isolates were invA-positive in ICAN-chromatostrip detection.