Review of bovine tuberculosis at the wildlife/livestock/human interface in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Infection of wild animals by bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is raising concern worldwide. This article reviews the current epidemiological situation, risk of emergence and control options at the wildlife-livestock-human interface in sub-Saharan Africa. In livestock, bTB has been confirmed in the majority of countries from all parts of the continent. Wildlife infection is confirmed in 7 countries from southern and eastern Africa, apparently spreading in the southern Africa region. Mycobacterium bovis has been isolated from 14 wild mammal species, although only 4 are suspected to play a role as maintenance host. Zoonotic risks are a concern, but no direct spill-over from wildlife to human has been documented, and no case of bTB spill-back from wildlife to livestock has been confirmed. Herein we assess the main risk factors of bTB spill-over at the wildlife-livestock-human interface and suggest several research themes which could improve the control of the disease in the African context.