Innate Immunity in Free-Ranging African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer): Associations with Parasite Infection and White Blood Cell Counts

Serum biochemistry panels in African buffalo: Defining reference intervals and assessing variability across season, age and sex

“…In African buffalo, there is demonstrated seasonality in disease exposure [52, 53], altered immune defense [54] and altered host behavior due to foraging requirements [55] and reproductive timing [56, 57]. This may explain the seasonal variability in immunoglobulin levels and resultant decreased albumin:globulin ratio.…”

Nematode–coccidia parasite co-infections in African buffalo: Epidemiology and associations with host condition and pregnancy

“…Parasite egg and oocyst counts may reflect the host’s ability to regulate the survival/expulsion (Balic et al, 2002), growth, or reproduction (Rowe et al, 2008) of parasites to which it has been exposed. Parasite egg and oocyst counts in African buffalo has been negatively associated with body condition (Ezenwa and Jolles, 2008), host immunity (Beechler et al, 2012) and diet quality (Ezenwa, 2004). Because forage quality decreases throughout the dry season, buffalo reach their lowest body condition at the end of the dry season and beginning of the wet season (Caron et al, 2003; Ryan et al, 2012).…”

“…Like most ruminants, buffalo body condition (Ezenwa et al, 2009; Parker et al, 2009) and some immune responses (Beechler et al, 2012) vary seasonally with resource quality. Buffalo body condition mirrors resource quality at a 2–4 month lag (based on fecal nitrogen; Ryan et al, 2012) and thus, buffalo reach peak condition in the late wet season/early dry season and are in poorest condition in the late dry season/early wet season (Caron et al, 2003).…”

Tick infestation patterns in free ranging African buffalo (Syncercus caffer): Effects of host innate immunity and niche segregation among tick species

“…Pregnancy status was determined by rectal palpation while lactation was assessed by milking all four teats. Innate immunity was assessed using a previously described bacterial killing assay (BKA; Beechler et al, 2012), which measures bactericidal activity of whole blood against a standard laboratory strain of Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739). Bacterial killing in blood is mediated by serological (primarily complement) and cytological (chiefly neutrophils, macrophages) effectors of the innate immune system.…”