Bovine tuberculosis in a wild baboon population: epidemiological aspects.

A follow-up of an outbreak of Mycobacterium bovis in a population of feral baboons in Kenya was undertaken after one year by necropsy of euthanized, clinically ill animals, and tuberculin testing of others. It was concluded that the source of the infection was animals feeding on village slaughterhouse offal of M. bovis infected cows. Secondary (direct) baboon-baboon transfer of the disease appeared to be minimal or nonexistent.