EVALUATION OF PIROPLASM OCCURRENCE IN THE EASTERN BLACK (DICEROS BICORNIS MICHAELI) AND SOUTHERN WHITE (CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM SIMUM) RHINOCEROS METAPOPULATION IN KENYA

Abstract

The eastern black and the white rhinoceros are endangered mainly due to poaching. Besides poaching diseases are another impediment to the species recovery. Infection with pirolasms has been linked to rhinoceros posttranslocation mortality in South Africa and Tanzania. Presence of such piroplasms in the Kenyan rhinoceroses has not been investigated. This study aimedat evaluating occurrence of piroplasms in selected rhino subpopulations in Kenya. Blood samples were collected from 114 rhinoceroses, genomic DNA extracted, 18S rRNA genes of Babesia and Theileria amplified, and PCR products analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Fifty six samples tested positive for piroplasms. White rhinoceroses were significantly infected (65.6%) compared to black rhinoceroses (42.7%, p =0.028). Males were insignificantly highly infected compared to females (p = 0.353). Sub adults were insignificantly highly infected compared to adults and juveniles (p = 0.465). Infection rates among the sub-populations varied insignificantly (p = 0.140). The study concluded that Kenyan rhinoceroses are infected with piroplasms and recommends further studies to be carried out on piroplasm tick vectors, and piroplasm- vector- host interaction so as to understand the transmission dynamics, and possible diseasetransmission in the human-wildlife-livestock ecosystem.