Meeting Abstract

8.2  Tuesday, Jan. 4  Disease Invasion: Tuberculosis and Brucellosis in African Buffalo GORSICH, Erin E.*; JOLLES, Anna E. ; EZENWA, Vanessa O.; Oregon State University; Oregon State University; University of Georgia eringorsich@gmail.com

Invasive diseases can alter native pathogen transmission and virulence, causing cascading effects throughout an ecosystem. I used bovine tuberculosis (BTB) and brucellosis in African buffalo at Kruger National Park (KNP) to examine the effects of an introduced pathogen on a native chronic disease. Assessing the impacts of invasive diseases, such as TB, on chronic diseases are difficult because their effects occur over decades and are likely dependent on interactions with demographic and environmental factors. These results show that an invading pathogen (TB) is associated with increased transmission of brucellosis, a similar native disease.