PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN AN AFRICAN LION (PANTHERA LEO)

Pulmonary tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis was diagnosed in an adult male African lion (Panthera leo) by culture of tracheobronchi al lymph node al necropsy. The main clinical signs included weight los s and dyspnea. Clinical pathology showed an inflammatory hemogram, mil d anemia, persistent hypercalcemia, and mild azotemia. Sera from the a ffected animal, conspecifics at risk, and nine clinically normal lions were analyzed retrospectively for antimycobacterial antibody using a protein A-linked immunosorbent assay. The affected lion and one clinic ally normal long-term cage mate had relatively high Liters compared wi th these of two other animals at risk and nine clinically normal lions . These results indicate that serology was useful in identifying lions with active tuberculosis caused by M. bovis, and/or lions that have b een exposed to M. bovis.