Tuberculosis in wild olive baboons, Papio cynocephalus anubis (Lesson), in Kenya.

Abstract

Several wild olive baboons from a single troop in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya were observed to be lethargic and emaciated. Five were trapped and tuberculin tested by intradermal inoculation of 0.1 cc (100 IU) mammalian old tuberculin in the upper eyelid. Two of the five showed positive reaction at 72 hr and were examined at necropsy. Gross lesions in both animals consisted of multiple nodules with caseation in the lung, spleen and tracheobronchial lymph nodes. There were multiple granulomas throughout the lung, spleen and the lymph nodes. Tissues were cultured on Lowenstein-Jensen media with and without pyruvic acid. Isolates were typed as Mycobacterium bovis.