What role do African buffalo play in virus circulation?

Wildlife and livestock form the economic backbone of many communities in Africa through income streams from tourism, meat, milk and wool/hide production. Yet, proximity of wildlife can jeopardize the viability of livestock operations via shared infectious diseases, some of which are maintained in wildlife populations and can spill over into livestock. Infections such as Rift Valley fever can make livestock less profitable due to direct costs associated with prevention, treatment and loss of productivity, or indirectly through restricted trade.

In this work, PhD student Mr Tinotendashe Pori together with colleagues at the University of Warwick, University of Pretoria and Yale University will investigate how disease transmission occurs in areas where wildlife and livestock co-occur. The data generated will provide important information about the burden of disease. The livestock sampling will occur in collaboration with state veterinarians managing the region, ensuring the results will be available to them for future decision making. This work will also be important to the park's efforts monitoring transboundary diseases. More generally, this work will provide information on how an infectious disease capable of transmitting between wildlife, livestock and people is maintained and spread.