Sichewo, Petronillah RudoHlokwe, Tiny MotlatsoEtter, Eric Marcel CharlesMichel, Anita Luise2020-10-012020-10-012020-03-04Sichewo, P.R., Hlokwe, T.M., Etter, E.M.C. et al. 2020, 'Tracing cross species transmission of Mycobacterium bovis at the wildlife/ livestock interface in South Africa', BMC Microbiology, vol. 20, art. 49, pp. 1-9.1471-2180 (online)10.1186/s12866-020-01736-4http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76292BACKGROUND : Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) affects cattle and wildlife in South Africa with the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) as the principal maintenance host. The presence of a wildlife maintenance host at the wildlife/livestock interface acting as spill-over host makes it much more challenging to control and eradicate bTB in cattle. Spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) genotyping methods were performed to investigate the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) isolates from cattle and wildlife, their distribution and transmission at the wildlife/livestock interface in northern Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa. RESULTS : SB0130 was identified as the dominant spoligotype pattern at this wildlife/livestock interface, while VNTR typing revealed a total of 29 VNTR profiles (strains) in the KZN province signifying high genetic variability. The detection of 5 VNTR profiles shared between cattle and buffalo suggests M. bovis transmission between species. MIRU-VNTR confirmed co-infection in one cow with three strains of M. bovis that differed at a single locus, with 2 being shared with buffalo, implying pathogen introduction from most probably unrelated wildlife sources. CONCLUSION : Our findings highlight inter and intra species transmission of bTB at the wildlife/livestock interface and the need for the implementation of adequate bTB control measures to mitigate the spread of the pathogen responsible for economic losses and a public health threat.en© The Author(s). 2020 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Bovine tuberculosis (bTB)CattleMycobacterium bovis (M. bovis)StrainsWildlifeAfrican buffalo (Syncerus caffer)Livestock interfaceKwaZulu-Natal (KZN)Article