Tuberkulose-Endemie bei freilebendem Rotwild (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus) in den nördlichen Kalkalpen

From 1999 to 2001, tuberculosis has been found among seven free-living red deer in northern alpine regions. The first case was an eight months old red deer fawn, the other six were five stags and one hind. The latter wereshot or found 110 km away from the place, where the fawn had been shot. All deer showed gross lesions specific for tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) was cultured from these sites. Remarkable pathologic findings were enlarged lymph nodes especially in the head and neck regions filled with pus. The histological examination revealed epitheloid cells, giant cells, neutrophils and few eosinophils. The causative agent in all seven cases was determined by molecular genetical techniques to be Mycobacterium bovis subsp. caprae, a naturally pyrazinamide susceptible subtype of the bovine tubercle bacillus. To investigate possible epidemiological relationships, the isolates obtained from red deer were subjected to DNA-fingerprinting (i.e., spoligotyping and IS6110RFLP). Fingerprinting showed a high level of homology, but not identity, among the strains isolated from adult red deer. The fawn isolate was notably different, being of the same fingerprint type as isolates from cattle kept on a dairy farm located 20 km apart.