Trypanosomiasis in Introduced Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) Gifts to Ex Situ Habitat in Aitong, Kenya.

During the opening of diplomatic relations in the 1990s, South Africa gifted 20 southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) to Kenya. The species is not indigenous to Kenya, and management of the introduction was not clearly addressed in the legislation. Responsibility was left to the private sector and local authorities.

Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), effective brucellosis control is limited, in part, by the lack of long-term commitments by governments to control the disease and the absence of reliable national human and livestock population-based data to inform policies. Therefore, we conducted a study to establish the national prevalence and develop a risk map for Brucella spp. in cattle to contribute to plans to eliminate the disease in Kenya by the year 2040.

Genome Sequences of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus SAT2 Strains Purified from Coinfected Cape Buffalo in Kenya.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) SAT2 sequences were acquired from Cape buffalo in Kenya in 2016, from either primary passage ( = 38) or plaque purification of dually SAT1/SAT2-infected samples ( = 61). All samples were derived from asymptomatic animals. These sequences contribute to our understanding of FMDV diversity in reservoirs and during subclinical FMDV infections.

Genome Sequences of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus SAT1 Strains Purified from Coinfected Cape Buffalo in Kenya.

Nearly complete genomes of 49 novel foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) SAT1 strains acquired from oropharyngeal fluid samples from asymptomatic African Cape buffalo in Kenya in 2016 were determined. Sequences were from primary passage or plaque-purified dually SAT1/SAT2-infected samples. These sequences are important for elucidation of the molecular epidemiology of persistent and subclinical FMDV infections.

Evidence of co-exposure with Brucella spp, Coxiella burnetii, and Rift Valley fever virus among various species of wildlife in Kenya.

Background: Co-infection, especially with pathogens of dissimilar genetic makeup, may result in a more devastating impact on the host. Investigations on co-infection with neglected zoonotic pathogens in wildlife are necessary to inform appropriate prevention and control strategies to reduce disease burden in wildlife and the potential transmission of these pathogens between wildlife, livestock and humans. This study assessed co-exposure of various Kenyan wildflife species with Brucella spp, Coxiella burnetii and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV).

Metagenomic Investigation of Ticks From Kenyan Wildlife Reveals Diverse Microbial Pathogens and New Country Pathogen Records.

Focusing on the utility of ticks as xenosurveillance sentinels to expose circulating pathogens in Kenyan drylands, host-feeding ticks collected from wild ungulates [buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, hartebeest, impala, rhinoceros (black and white), zebras (Grévy's and plains)], carnivores (leopards, lions, spotted hyenas, wild dogs), as well as regular domestic and Boran cattle were screened for pathogens using metagenomics. A total of 75 host-feeding ticks [ (97.3%) and (2.

Viral Population Diversity during Co-Infection of Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus Serotypes SAT1 and SAT2 in African Buffalo in Kenya.

African buffalo are the natural reservoirs of the SAT serotypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in sub-Saharan Africa. Most buffalo are exposed to multiple FMDV serotypes early in life, and a proportion of them become persistently infected carriers. Understanding the genetic diversity and evolution of FMDV in carrier animals is critical to elucidate how FMDV persists in buffalo populations.

High real-time reporting of domestic and wild animal diseases following rollout of mobile phone reporting system in Kenya.

Background: To improve early detection of emerging infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), many of them zoonotic, numerous electronic animal disease-reporting systems have been piloted but not implemented because of cost, lack of user friendliness, and data insecurity. In Kenya, we developed and rolled out an open-source mobile phone-based domestic and wild animal disease reporting system and collected data over two years to investigate its robustness and ability to track disease trends.

Methods: The Kenya Animal Biosurveillance System (KABS) application was built on the Java® platform, freely downloadable for android compatible mobile phones, and supported by web-based account management, form editing and data monitoring.

Sarcoptic mange: An emerging panzootic in wildlife.

Sarcoptic mange, a skin infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, is an emerging disease for some species of wildlife, potentially jeopardizing their welfare and conservation. Sarcoptes scabiei has a near-global distribution facilitated by its forms of transmission and use of a large diversity of host species (many of those with broad geographic distribution). In this review, we synthesize the current knowledge concerning the geographic and host taxonomic distribution of mange in wildlife, the epidemiological connections between species, and the potential threat of sarcoptic mange for wildlife conservation.

The role of African buffalo in the epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease in sympatric cattle and buffalo populations in Kenya.

Quantitative knowledge on the contribution of African buffalo to the epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in East Africa is lacking, and this information is essential for the design of control programs in the region. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of FMDV in buffalo, including the role of buffalo in the circulation of FMDV in livestock populations. We collected blood and oropharyngeal fluids from 92 wild buffalo and 98 sympatric cattle in central Kenya and sequenced the virus' VP1 coding region.

Etorphine-Azaperone Immobilisation for Translocation of Free-Ranging Masai Giraffes (): A Pilot Study.

Etorphine-azaperone immobilisation was evaluated for translocation of Masai giraffes. Nine giraffes were darted with 0.012 ± 0.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Serotype A Genome Sequence from Kenya in 2016.

We report the genome sequence of a foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype A topotype Africa isolate collected from bovine vesicular epithelium from Kenya in 2016. This novel sequence updates the knowledge of FMDV diversity in eastern Africa and has important implications for FMDV epidemiology and molecular analyses.

Genome Sequences of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus SAT1 and SAT2 Strains from Kenya in 2014 to 2016.

Here, we report the near-complete genomes of three Southern African Territories 1 (SAT1) serotype strains and one SAT2 serotype strain of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) recently isolated from Kenya. Viral isolates were obtained from bovine epithelial tissues collected in 2014 and 2016 following outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). These near-complete genome sequences provide a critical update of Kenyan FMDV molecular epidemiology.

First Report of Near-Complete Genome Sequences of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Serotype O Strains from Kenya.

This is the first report of two near-complete genome sequences of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype O from Kenya. The viruses were isolated from bovine epithelium collected in 2014 and 2016 from local FMD outbreaks. These full-genome sequences are critical for improving the understanding of regional FMDV molecular epidemiology.

Phylogeographical and cross-species transmission dynamics of SAT1 and SAT2 foot-and-mouth disease virus in Eastern Africa.

Understanding the dynamics of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), an endemic and economically constraining disease, is critical in designing control programmes in Africa. This study investigates the evolutionary epidemiology of SAT1 and SAT2 FMDV in Eastern Africa, as well as between cattle and wild African buffalo. Bayesian phylodynamic models were used to analyse SAT1 and SAT2 VP1 gene segments collected between 1975 and 2016, focusing on the SAT1 and SAT2 viruses currently circulating in Eastern Africa.

Correction to: Genetic Evidence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-Cov) and Widespread Seroprevalence among Camels in Kenya.

The acknowledgement section in the original article was published incorrectly.

Genetic Evidence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-Cov) and Widespread Seroprevalence among Camels in Kenya.

We describe the first genome isolation of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Kenya. This fatal zoonotic pathogen was first described in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012. Epidemiological and molecular evidence revealed zoonotic transmission from camels to humans and between humans.

Hematologic Values of Healthy and Sick Free-ranging Lesser Flamingos ( Phoeniconaias minor) in Kenya.

We determined hematologic parameters of five healthy and nine sick free-ranging Lesser Flamingos ( Phoeniconaias minor) from Lake Nakuru, Kenya. Heterophilia and lymphopenia were evident in sick birds, with up to 7.5-fold higher heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in sick birds compared to healthy birds.

Recurrent Anthrax Outbreaks in Humans, Livestock, and Wildlife in the Same Locality, Kenya, 2014-2017.

Epidemiologic data indicate a global distribution of anthrax outbreaks associated with certain ecosystems that promote survival and viability of spores. Here, we characterized three anthrax outbreaks involving humans, livestock, and wildlife that occurred in the same locality in Kenya between 2014 and 2017. Clinical and epidemiologic data on the outbreaks were collected using active case finding and review of human, livestock, and wildlife health records.

Stable isotope ecology of black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) in Kenya.

Stable isotope and elemental ratios in hair are influenced by the environment, including both climate and geology. Stable carbon isotopes can be used to give estimates of the C/CAM fraction of diets of herbivorous mammals; stable nitrogen isotopes are related to the local water deficit; strontium isotopes are determined by the local geology. We studied hair from rhinos in Kenya to determine spatial patterns in δC, δN, and Sr/Sr ratios.

Correction to: Molecular detection of viruses in Kenyan bats and discovery of novel astroviruses, caliciviruses and rotaviruses.

The affiliation listed for Cecilia Waruhiu is incorrect. The byline and affiliation line should appear as shown above.

Molecular detection of viruses in Kenyan bats and discovery of novel astroviruses, caliciviruses and rotaviruses.

This is the first country-wide surveillance of bat-borne viruses in Kenya spanning from 2012-2015 covering sites perceived to have medium to high level bat-human interaction. The objective of this surveillance study was to apply a non-invasive approach using fresh feces to detect viruses circulating within the diverse species of Kenyan bats. We screened for both DNA and RNA viruses; specifically, astroviruses (AstVs), adenoviruses (ADVs), caliciviruses (CalVs), coronaviruses (CoVs), flaviviruses, filoviruses, paramyxoviruses (PMVs), polyomaviruses (PYVs) and rotaviruses.

A practical guideline to remote biopsy darting of wildebeests for genetic sampling.

The use of biopsy darts for remote collection of tissue samples from free-ranging terrestrial and aquatic animal species has gained popularity in the recent past. The success of darting is very important since scientists may not have many chances to re-dart the same animal, especially with the free-ranging elusive wildlife species. We used wildebeest () as a model to estimate the optimum shooting distance, pressure and the shot part of the body through which a researcher can optimize the success and amount of tissue collected from similar wild land mammalian species.