GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert
Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis that affects wildlife, livestock and also humans in different parts of the world. It is endemic in some parts of Africa, including Namibia, with species differing in their susceptibility to the disease. Carnivores are typically less suscept...
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doaj-26640d6d2214400db802c4fec6f7f4452021-08-20T10:07:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692021-08-01810.3389/fvets.2021.714758714758GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib DesertRuben Portas0Ortwin H. K. Aschenborn1Joerg Melzheimer2Manie Le Roux3Kenneth Heinrich Uiseb4Gábor Árpád Czirják5Bettina Wachter6Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GermanySchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, NamibiaDepartment of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GermanyMinistry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Directorate of Wildlife and National Parks, Windhoek, NamibiaMinistry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Directorate of Scientific Services, Windhoek, NamibiaDepartment of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GermanyAnthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis that affects wildlife, livestock and also humans in different parts of the world. It is endemic in some parts of Africa, including Namibia, with species differing in their susceptibility to the disease. Carnivores are typically less susceptible to anthrax than herbivores. Most carnivore species survive infection and have high seroprevalence against anthrax, whereas most herbivore species have low seroprevalence and typically die quickly when infected. Several reports have shown that cheetahs, unlike most other large carnivores, are susceptible to anthrax leading to a sudden death. This finding was suggested to be linked to the low genetic variability of cheetahs which might reduce an adequate immune response and thus explain such a high susceptibility to the disease. Here, we report an incidence of three free-ranging cheetahs that died within 24 h after feeding on a mountain zebra that tested positive for anthrax in the Namib Desert. We were able to reconstruct this incidence with the data recorded in the GPS (Global Positioning System) collar worn by one of the cheetahs and retrieved in the field. It is very likely that the cheetahs died from anthrax, although Bacillus anthracis could not be isolated from tissue and soil samples by bacterial culturing. The mountain zebra is the first described case of a wild animal that tested positive for anthrax in this arid area in southwestern of Namibia. We discuss the negative laboratory results of the cheetahs in the light of new insights of their immune system and its potential to mount a response against this bacteria.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.714758/fullAcinonyx jubatusanthraxBacillus anthracischeetahEquus zebra hartmannaeNamib Desert |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Ruben Portas Ortwin H. K. Aschenborn Joerg Melzheimer Manie Le Roux Kenneth Heinrich Uiseb Gábor Árpád Czirják Bettina Wachter |
spellingShingle |
Ruben Portas Ortwin H. K. Aschenborn Joerg Melzheimer Manie Le Roux Kenneth Heinrich Uiseb Gábor Árpád Czirják Bettina Wachter GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert Frontiers in Veterinary Science Acinonyx jubatus anthrax Bacillus anthracis cheetah Equus zebra hartmannae Namib Desert |
author_facet |
Ruben Portas Ortwin H. K. Aschenborn Joerg Melzheimer Manie Le Roux Kenneth Heinrich Uiseb Gábor Árpád Czirják Bettina Wachter |
author_sort |
Ruben Portas |
title |
GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert |
title_short |
GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert |
title_full |
GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert |
title_fullStr |
GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert |
title_full_unstemmed |
GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert |
title_sort |
gps telemetry reveals a zebra with anthrax as putative cause of death for three cheetahs in the namib desert |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
issn |
2297-1769 |
publishDate |
2021-08-01 |
description |
Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis that affects wildlife, livestock and also humans in different parts of the world. It is endemic in some parts of Africa, including Namibia, with species differing in their susceptibility to the disease. Carnivores are typically less susceptible to anthrax than herbivores. Most carnivore species survive infection and have high seroprevalence against anthrax, whereas most herbivore species have low seroprevalence and typically die quickly when infected. Several reports have shown that cheetahs, unlike most other large carnivores, are susceptible to anthrax leading to a sudden death. This finding was suggested to be linked to the low genetic variability of cheetahs which might reduce an adequate immune response and thus explain such a high susceptibility to the disease. Here, we report an incidence of three free-ranging cheetahs that died within 24 h after feeding on a mountain zebra that tested positive for anthrax in the Namib Desert. We were able to reconstruct this incidence with the data recorded in the GPS (Global Positioning System) collar worn by one of the cheetahs and retrieved in the field. It is very likely that the cheetahs died from anthrax, although Bacillus anthracis could not be isolated from tissue and soil samples by bacterial culturing. The mountain zebra is the first described case of a wild animal that tested positive for anthrax in this arid area in southwestern of Namibia. We discuss the negative laboratory results of the cheetahs in the light of new insights of their immune system and its potential to mount a response against this bacteria. |
topic |
Acinonyx jubatus anthrax Bacillus anthracis cheetah Equus zebra hartmannae Namib Desert |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.714758/full |
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