[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-446613-105":59,"doc-detail-446613-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","a-microbial-safari-finding-evidence-of-mycobacterium-bovis-dna-in-soil-from-the-kruger-national-park-south-africa","A microbial safari: finding evidence of Mycobacterium bovis DNA in soil from the Kruger National Park, South Africa","","The primary pathogen driving animal tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, infects many mammals including humans and is considered endemic in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, threatening wildlife health and conservation. Spread occurs via aerosolized or ingested contact, with possible indirect environmental transmission, yet detecting environmental M. bovis is difficult due to complex matrices and biosecurity limits. DNA extracted from KNP soil (n=180) was screened for MTBC DNA using hsp65 PCR, Sanger sequencing, and GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra qPCR, with RD-PCR confirmation. Sanger detected MTBC in three samples, while GXU detected none; RD-PCR confirmed M. bovis in 2/3 MTBC-positive samples.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/a-microbial-safari-finding-evidence-of-mycobacterium-bovis-dna-in-soil-from-the-kruger-national-park-south-africa/446613/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/a-microbial-safari-finding-evidence-of-mycobacterium-bovis-dna-in-soil-from-the-kruger-national-park-south-africa/446613.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"McGucket","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-30","2026-09-29",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":81},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why is detecting Mycobacterium bovis DNA in KNP soil challenging?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Environmental samples are often paucibacillary and the sample matrix is complex. Culture-based detection can also be confounded by competing microbes and biosecurity-related restrictions, so culture-independent DNA methods may be required.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Which assays were used to screen for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The study used hsp65 PCR followed by Sanger amplicon sequencing, and the GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra (GXU) qPCR assay. RD-PCR was then used to confirm whether M. bovis DNA was present.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What did the study find about MTBC and M. bovis DNA in KNP soil?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Sanger hsp65 sequencing detected MTBC DNA in three samples, while GXU qPCR detected none. Sanger sequencing also identified Mycobacterium genus organisms in 44 samples and non-tuberculous Mycobacterium species in 21 samples. RD-PCR confirmed M. bovis DNA in 2/3 MTBC-positive samples.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},446613,1790742854,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":81,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145},1236954412713,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","| Open Peer Review | Mycobacteriology | Research Article  \nA microbial safari: finding evidence of Mycobacterium bovis DNA in soil from the Kruger National Park, South Africa  \nM. C. Matthews,1 M. E. M. Toorians,2,3 T. J. Davies,3,4 R. D. Stewart,5 W. J. Goosen,1,6 M. A. Miller1  \nAUTHOR AFFILIATIONS See affiliation list on p. 10.  \nABSTRACT The primary pathogen causing animal tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium bovis, can infect a wide range of mammals, including humans. This pathogen is considered endemic in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, where it threatens the health and conservation of African wildlife, including endangered species. This mycobacterial pathogen is spread through close contact with an infected host by aerosols or ingestion but may also be transmitted indirectly through the environment. Detecting environmental M. bovis is challenging due to the complexity of the sample matrix and may require culture-independent techniques due to biosecurity restrictions associated with sample movement. In this study, DNA was extracted from soil near water sources in the KNP (n = 180) and screened for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) DNA using the hsp65 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by Sanger amplicon sequencing and the GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra (GXU) qPCR assay. The region of difference (RD)-PCR was used to confirm whether M. bovis DNA was present. Sanger hsp65 amplicon sequencing and GXU detected MTBC DNA in three and zero samples, respectively. Moreover, Sanger sequencing detected organisms belonging to the Mycobacterium genus in 44 samples and non-tuberculous Mycobacterium species in 21 samples. The RD-PCR confirmed M. bovis DNA presence in 2/3 MTBC-positive samples. The presence of M. bovis DNA in KNP soil suggests potential environmental contamination by shedding from infected animals. Further research is required to confirm the viability of MTBC and the role of environmental contamination in the TB epidemiology of this multi-host system.  \nIMPORTANCE This article describes the first evidence that DNA from the bacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium bovis, which causes animal tuberculosis (TB) in wildlife, can be detected in soil from the Kruger National Park (KNP) . Animal TB threatens wildlife conservation, including threatened and endangered species, in areas such as the KNP. Pathogenic Mycobacterium are spread primarily through direct contact with infected hosts. However, the presence of M. bovis DNA in KNP soil could indicate a role for the environment in disease transmission. This complements the growing evidence from European regions that M. bovis can be shed by infected animals into water, soil, or plant material and potentially infect animals in the surrounding environment. This indirect route of spread has implications for disease management strategies and warrants further scientific investigation. Moreover, the direct DNA-based detection techniques described in this study may provide a tool for detecting Mycobacterium pathogens using non-invasive sampling (sampling the environment rather than animals directly) when culturing isnot possible.  \nKEYWORDS animal tuberculosis, culture independent detection, environmental Mycobacterium, GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra, hsp65 PCR, indirect transmission, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Sanger sequencing  \nEditor Artem S. Rogovsky, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA  \nPeer Reviewers Jayne Hope, Roslin Institute, Easter Bush, Midlothian, United Kingdom; Eman Khalifa, Matrouh University, Matrouh, Egypt  \nAddress correspondence to M. C. Matthews, [megandutoit@sun.ac.za](megandutoit@sun.ac.za).  \nW. J. Goosen and M. A. Miller contributed equally to this article.  \nThe authors declare no conflict of interest.  \nI n South Africa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) infections pose significant  \nrisks to human and animal health (1, 2) . The human-adapted MTBC, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), causes tuberculo","cbCaifFzaIG4bsnP","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifFzaIG4bsnP","pdf",1608846,13,"English","# Abstract\n## Pathogen background and study rationale\n## Methods and molecular detection approach\n## Results and confirmation of M. bovis DNA\n## Significance and implications for transmission","[{\"question\":\"Why is detecting Mycobacterium bovis DNA in KNP soil challenging?\",\"answer\":\"Environmental samples are often paucibacillary and the sample matrix is complex. Culture-based detection can also be confounded by competing microbes and biosecurity-related restrictions, so culture-independent DNA methods may be required.\"},{\"question\":\"Which assays were used to screen for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA?\",\"answer\":\"The study used hsp65 PCR followed by Sanger amplicon sequencing, and the GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra (GXU) qPCR assay. RD-PCR was then used to confirm whether M. bovis DNA was present.\"},{\"question\":\"What did the study find about MTBC and M. bovis DNA in KNP soil?\",\"answer\":\"Sanger hsp65 sequencing detected MTBC DNA in three samples, while GXU qPCR detected none. Sanger sequencing also identified Mycobacterium genus organisms in 44 samples and non-tuberculous Mycobacterium species in 21 samples. RD-PCR confirmed M. bovis DNA in 2/3 MTBC-positive samples.\"}]","A microbial safari: finding evidence of Mycobacterium bovis DNA in soil from the Kruger National Park, South Africa | PDF",1790716295,33]