Disease Threats to Captive Bongo Populations in the Middle East

1. Disease Threats to Captive Bongo Populations in the Middle East Christopher Lloyd BVSc, MSc, CertZooMed, GP Cert Endo, MRCVS

2. Bongo Disease Threats Very few infectious diseases reported from Bongo in Middle East. More likely due to underreporting and low numbers in captivity than lack of disease. -MCF (C.Lloyd) -Salmonellosis(C.Lloyd) -Abomasal impaction (C.Lloyd) -Fluorosis (C.Lloyd) -Intermale aggression (Kilgallon/ Lloyd) -BVD exposure -Goitre(Furniss) Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

3. Bongo disease threats • Viral • Malignant Catarrhal Fever • Foot and Mouth disease • PPR (Tragelaphus.. Bushbucks) • BVD • Blue Tongue • Lumpy Skin disease • (TSE :Tragelaphus.. Nyala, Kudu) • (Rabies Tragelaphus.. Kudu) • Bacterial • Salmonella • Bovine Tuberculosis • CCPP • Coxiella (Q-fever) • Paratuberculosis • Clostridial diseases • Parasitic • Coccidia (Eimeria) • Nematodes • Tapeworm • Non Infectious • Nutritional (copper, poor browse, high starch foods) • Impacted abomasum • Familial Goitre • Amyloidosis • Uterine Leiomyoma • Otitis • Fighting/intermale agression • Fluorosis Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

4. Bongo Disease Threats • Infectious diseases with recorded cases in Bongo or diseases posing high risk factors; • MCF • Salmonella • TB • BVD • FMD • Q fever • CCPP • BTV • PPR Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

5. Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

6. Malignant Catarrhal fever • 4 Year old Male • Housed in mixed sex group (6 other animal) , no other ungulates. • Acute progressive signs over 24 hrs. • Lethargy, salivation and profuse diarrhea- death • Faecal examinations unremarkable • PM: Pneumonia, hepatitis and rumenitis. • Histopathology revealed characteristic vasculitis of MCF • Real time PCR on parrafin blocks confirmed ovine derived herpes virus- OhHV-2 • No other Bongo affected • Reported previously in Bongo associated with Nubian Ibex Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

7. Malignant Catarrhal fever • Herpes Virus: • Two hosts. • 1) Clinical disease (dead end hosts; Bovidae, cervidae, Giraffe etc) • 2) Carrier Hosts (Sheep, Goats, Wildebeest) • Spread horizontally from carrier host to susceptible animals: • aerosol and orally • No evidence of spread between dead end hosts • Sporadic disease in susceptible hosts • Peracute to chronic disease syndromes described. • Mucosal damage with respiratory and GI secretions. • Crusting lesions • Diagnosis • Histopathology • PCR: peripheral blood, tissues, secretions • Serology: Unreliable in dead end hosts • Prevention • No vaccine • Seperation of species Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

8. Salmonellosis • 3 year old male. Mixed species enclosure, including Aldabra tortoises • Acute onset diarrhoea, toxaemia and death • Death from suppurative hepatitis, enterocolitis and multifocal thrombosis typical of Salmonellosis • No faecal culture performed ante or post mortem so presumptive diagnosis. Clinical signs and laboratory findings would be consistent. • Pooled serial cultures from other Bongo negative for salmonella • Other species, including tortoise, yet to be investigated • Possibly isolated incident but demonstrates susceptibility of Bongo antelope to Salmonella Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

9. Salmonellosis • Three syndromes • Asymptomatic • Acute septicaemic disease • Chronic enteric disease • Many species can cause disease but main ones in domestic ruminants are S.dublin and S.typhimurium. • Faeco-oral route • Carrier animals, food sources, rodents and wild birds can be sources • Sub clinical carriers can be tipped into disease by stressors • Treatment with antibiotic or culling • Identify source where possible • Limit movement of animals until carriers or source identified • Live attenuated cattle vaccines available but no information on their use in this species Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

10. Mycobacteria bovis • Not recorded in this species in the UAE. Been a concern in the European Bongo herd after cases detected in UK and European Zoos. Also reported from USA • Long incubation. • Loss Body weight • Cough ? • Intestinal and organ abscessation, lymphadenopathy • TB testing ? • Tuberculin testing: availability of tuberculin limited • Gamma interferon testing: Commercially unavailable in UAE. False +ves ? • Stat Pak testing/ serological testing unreliable (tested 2/5 +ve: all negative on skin test and /or PM) • PCR; ZN staining of respy / faecal matter • Treatment experimentally successful in this spp in N. America- ethical ? • Public health ? Notifiable Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

11. Bovine Viral Diarrhoea • Widespread amongst all hoof stock. Main hosts are infected domestic cattle, goats and sheep • Serological exposure recorded in UAE in Bongo and Arabian Oryx. • Ranges in severity but fatal haemorrhagic disease rare in wildlife • Abortion, weak neonates, foetal malformations and abortion more likely. Transmission is via infected foetal material. • Foetus infected in first trimester -Persistent carrier. animals may be possible in wildlife. Antibodies and virus isolated in Eland (Zimbabawe) and persistent carriers identified • Serological tests for exposure and PCR/virus isolation for clinical animals/ persistent carriers. • Prevention: separate domestic and wild animals • Vaccination with inactivated vaccine will prevent severe disease but not prevent infection or vertical transmission thus probably not indicated Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

12. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) • Highly contagious, often non lethal infection of ruminants. Mortalities in young. • No reports in literature affecting Bongo • Serotype O and A prevalent in domestic livestock in region. Not reported in UAE since 2009 according to OIE • Risks from imported life stock, fertilisers, transportation. • Ruminants can become carrier animals for up to 6 months? African Buffalo over 5 years • Vaccine studies in Arabian oryx show multiple vaccines may be required to elicit antibody response but field studies suggest a single use of vaccine may ellicit some protection Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

13. Q-fever • Coxiellaburnetii • Bacteria endemic in goat herds in UAE. Shed in all secretions at partuition • No risk to adult animals but will induce abortion in immunologically naive individuals • Abortion storms likely • Highly infectious, highly resistant in environment, spread in dust and by aerosol • Zoonosis • Care with exposure to goat farms. No locally available vaccine Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

14. Contagious caprinePleuropneumonia (CCPP) • Endemic in Middle East • Disease of goats, very contagious • Spread by aerosol • Has affected wildlife but mainly wild goat and sheep species. Caused mortality in Gerenuk • No evidence that may cause disease in Bongo but high chance of exposure and maybe worth considering as potentially susceptible • Vaccination Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

15. Blue Tongue • Reovirus; worldwide distribution although UAE claims is free. OIE considers BT endemic in region despite lack of reports Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

16. Blue Tongue • All ruminants susceptible. Sheep +++ • Transmission relies on Culicoidesimicolamidges • Antibodies found in serologic surveys of oryx in UAE • Severity in Bongo unknown but high fatalities in some deer and antelope while inapparent in other species • Been reported as clinical disease in Kudu, sable, Addax amongst others • Can be confused with FMD and MCF • Vector control • Vaccines not available in UAE Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

17. Peste de Petits Ruminants (PPR) • Paramyxovirus, closely related to Rinderpest • Notifiable but common in goat herds in UAE and region • Normally affects small ruminants but has been reported in TragelaphusSpp (Bushbuck) and Gemsbok. High morbidity and mortality • Not reported in Bongo but maybe worth considering as susceptible until further known • Serological evidence of exposure ? Vaccination ? Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East

18. Take Home Message ! Disease Threat to Captive Bongo in the Middle East