Bovine Tuberculosis in Doñana Biosphere Reserve: The Role of Wild Ungulates as Disease Reservoirs in the Last Iberian Lynx Strongholds

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002776
• Publication Date: 2008-07-22T21:41:08Z
• Authors: Christian Gortázar; María José Torres; Joaquín Vicente; Pelayo Acevedo; Manuel Reglero; José de la Fuente; Juan José Negro; Javier Aznar-Martín
• Keywords: Wild boar; Wildlife disease; Bovine tuberculosis; Culling; Ungulate

Doñana National Park (DNP) in southern Spain is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where commercial hunting and wildlife artificial feeding do not take place traditional cattle husbandry still exists. Herein, we hypothesized that Mycobacterium bovis infection prevalence wild ungulates will depend on host ecology variation reflect the interaction between hosts environmental risk factors. Cattle bTB reactor rates increased DNP despite compulsory testing culling of infected animals. In this study, 124 European boar, 95 red deer, 97 fallow deer were sampled from April 2006 to 2007 analyzed for M. infection. Modelling GIS used identify factors intra inter-species relationships. Infection with was confirmed 65 (52.4%) 26 (27.4%) 18 (18.5%) deer. absence cattle, boar reached 92.3% northern third DNP. Wild showed more than twice (p<0.001). revealed decreased North South (p<0.001) (p<0.01), whereas no spatial pattern evidenced dependent buffer area containing interacting individuals (p<0.01). The recorded study among highest reported wildlife. Remarkably, high occurs feeding, suggesting ban alone would have limited effect prevalence. DNP, transmission may occur predominantly at intra-species level due ecological, behavioural epidemiological results allow inferring conclusions Mediterranean habitats are managed purposes. Our support need consider species control strongly suggest affect animal welfare conservation.