Buffalo-associated Theileria parva: the risk to cattle of buffalo translocation into the Highveld of Zimbabwe.

There has been an increase in the introduction of game animals, including African buffaloes, into the Highveld of Zimbabwe to establish private game reserves on condition that they are confined in separate and secured paddocks. Owing to shortages of pastures cattle were grazed in buffalo-grazed paddocks resulting in outbreaks of buffalo-derived theileriosis. This paper reports the results of epidemiological observations carried out on two game reserves to assess the risk of buffalo translocation. The infection rate with Theileria parasites in ticks collected from buffalo-grazed pastures was high and produced fatal theileriosis in susceptible cattle. Similarly, adult R. appendiculatus ticks artificially fed as nymphs on the buffaloes produced fatal infections in susceptible cattle. Theileria parva (Boleni), the vaccine used to immunize cattle against theileriosis, and a buffalo-derived T. parva stabilate (BV-1) were inoculated in naïve buffaloes to study the Theileria carrier-state in these animals. The two buffaloes that had received the Boleni stabilate showed no clinical theileriosis reaction; however, the ticks derived from them produced a subclinical reaction in one susceptible calf. The buffalo which had received stabilate BV-1 developed fever, high schizont parasitosis for 10 days and 15% piroplasms parasitemia. R. appendiculatus ticks fed as nymphs on this buffalo produced fatal theileriosis reaction in a susceptible calf.