Skip to main content
SLU publication database (SLUpub)

Research article2005Peer reviewed

Outbreak of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among captive Asian elephants in a Swedish zoo

Sternberg Lewerin, Susanna; Eld, K.; Bölske, G.; Olsson, S-L.; Röken, B.; Ghebremichael, S.; Koivula, T.; Källenius, G.

Abstract

Between 2001 and 2003, there was an outbreak of tuberculosis in a Swedish zoo which involved elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses and buffaloes. Cultures of trunk lavages were used to detect infected elephants, tuberculin testing was used in the giraffes and buffaloes, and tracheal lavage and tuberculin testing were used in the rhinoceroses. The bacteria isolated were investigated by spoligotyping and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Five elephants and one giraffe were found to have been infected by four different strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Published in

Veterinary Record
2005, Volume: 156, number: 6, pages: 171-175
Publisher: BRITISH VETERINARY ASSOC

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Other Veterinary Science

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.156.6.171

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79687