TUBERCULOSIS IN KAFUE LECHWE (KOBUS-LECHE-KAFUENSIS) AND IN A BUSHBUCK (TRAGELAPHUS-SCRIPTUS) ON A GAME RANCH IN CENTRAL PROVINCE, ZAMBIA

Mycobacteriosis was diagnosed for the first time outside a national pa rk in free-ranging wild animals on a game ranch in Zambia. A Kafue lec hwe (Kobus leche kafuensis) was found dead with tuberculous lesions on a ranch near Lusaka. Acid-fast bacilli were found in the affected org ans. Mycobacteria were isolated from these tissues. A bushbuck (Tragel aphus scriptus) was found dead on the same ranch with multiple superfi cial abscesses in the neck region, extensive granulomatous lesions in the lung, the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes and several nodula r lesions in the spleen. Few acid-fast bacilli were found in the exuda te from the abscesses and lesions in the affected organs. Histological ly the lesions resembled those of tuberculosis, but mycobacteria could not be isolated. In addition, 1 Kafue lechwe among 37 wild ungulates of 13 species shot on the ranch showed typical tuberculous lesions in the lungs, but the diagnosis was not confirmed by bacterial isolation. The role of the Kafue lechwe as maintenance host for tuberculosis as well as in the possible spread of this disease to other wildlife are d iscussed.