Wildlife as a Potential Reservoir of Paratuberculosis: Molecular Evidence of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis in a Biosphere Reserve, the Sudan.
9 affiliations
- 1Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, D-04103 Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany.
- 2Department of Animal Health and Safety of Animal Products, Institute for Studies and Promotion of Animal Exports, University of Khartoum, Khartoum North 13314, Khartoum, Sudan.
- 3Wildlife Research Centre, Animal Resources Research Corporation, Ministry of Animal Resources Corporation, Khartoum North 13319, Khartoum, Sudan.
- 4Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum North 13314, Khartoum, Sudan.
- 5Department of Biology and Biotechnology, College of Applied and Industrial Sciences, University of Bahri, Khartoum North 13312, Khartoum, Sudan.
- 6Ibn Sina Specialized Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Al Neelain University, Khartoum 11121, Khartoum, Sudan.
- 7College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda.
- 8Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu P.O. Box 166, Uganda.
- 9Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Khartoum North 13314, Khartoum, Sudan.
Abstract
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes paratuberculosis (PTB), a chronic wasting enteritis of domestic and wild ruminants. Although the disease and/or its aetiology have been reported in livestock in the Sudan, they have not been investigated in wild animals. This study investigated MAP DNA prevalence in the Dinder National Park (DNP) to provide baseline data on PTB in wildlife. Fresh faecal samples (n = 274) of wild ruminants were collected from the ground around the six major water ponds of the DNP (44-48 samples/pond). Faecal DNA was extracted using a rapid extraction protocol and tested for MAP DNA using a real-time recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay. The vegetation structure around the ponds was observed and described. MAP DNA detection rates around the ponds ranged between 64.4% and 22.9%, with an overall apparent prevalence of 37.9% and a sensitivity/specificity-adjusted sample positivity of 42.4%. The faecal samples belonged to Reedbuck (Redunca redunca), Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), Waterbuck (Kobus defasa), African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer), Oribi (Ourebia ourebia), and among which MAP DNA detection rates were 39.4% (28/71), 39.1% (18/46), 38.0% (27/71), 37.5% (12/32) and 35.2% (19/54), respectively. The vegetation pattern around the ponds showed a notable difference that was consistent with MAP DNA detection. These results are consistent with the potential role of wildlife in paratuberculosis maintenance and transmission. Future investigations, including genotyping, would identify possible cross-transmission of the pathogen at the wildlife-domestic animal interface.
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BibTeX
@article{abdalla2026wildlife,
title = {{Wildlife as a Potential Reservoir of Paratuberculosis: Molecular Evidence of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis in a Biosphere Reserve, the Sudan.}},
author = {Enass M Abdalla and Omer M Meina and Sanaa M Idris and Wisal A Elmagzoub and ElSagad Eltayeb and Julius B Okuni and Lonzy Ojok and Mohamed E Mukhtar and Behrouz Alizadeh Savareh and Paula E Schweizer and Ahmed Abd El Wahed and Aisha E Faki and Ahmed A Gameel and Uwe Truyen and Kamal H Eltom},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ani16203216},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42939147},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Wildlife as a Potential Reservoir of Paratuberculosis: Molecular Evidence of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis in a Biosphere Reserve, the Sudan.
AU - Enass M Abdalla
AU - Omer M Meina
AU - Sanaa M Idris
AU - Wisal A Elmagzoub
AU - ElSagad Eltayeb
AU - Julius B Okuni
AU - Lonzy Ojok
AU - Mohamed E Mukhtar
AU - Behrouz Alizadeh Savareh
AU - Paula E Schweizer
AU - Ahmed Abd El Wahed
AU - Aisha E Faki
AU - Ahmed A Gameel
AU - Uwe Truyen
AU - Kamal H Eltom
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16203216
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42939147
AB - Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes paratuberculosis (PTB), a chronic wasting enteritis of domestic and wild ruminants. Although the disease and/or its aetiology have been reported in livestock in the Sudan, they have not been investigated in wild animals. This study investigated MAP DNA prevalence in the Dinder National Park (DNP) to provide baseline data on PTB in wildlife. Fresh faecal samples (n = 274) of wild ruminants were collected from the ground around the six major water ponds of the DNP (44-48 samples/pond). Faecal DNA was extracted using a rapid extraction protocol and tested for MAP DNA using a real-time recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay. The vegetation structure around the ponds was observed and described. MAP DNA detection rates around the ponds ranged between 64.4% and 22.9%, with an overall apparent prevalence of 37.9% and a sensitivity/specificity-adjusted sample positivity of 42.4%. The faecal samples belonged to Reedbuck (Redunca redunca), Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), Waterbuck (Kobus defasa), African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer), Oribi (Ourebia ourebia), and among which MAP DNA detection rates were 39.4% (28/71), 39.1% (18/46), 38.0% (27/71), 37.5% (12/32) and 35.2% (19/54), respectively. The vegetation pattern around the ponds showed a notable difference that was consistent with MAP DNA detection. These results are consistent with the potential role of wildlife in paratuberculosis maintenance and transmission. Future investigations, including genotyping, would identify possible cross-transmission of the pathogen at the wildlife-domestic animal interface.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -