Southern African Subregion Research Articles

Spatial distribution and determinants of HIV high burden in the Southern African sub-region.

Spatial analysis at different levels can help understand spatial variation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, disease drivers, and targeted interventions. Combining spatial analysis and the evaluation of the determinants of the HIV burden in Southern African countries is essential for a better understanding of the disease dynamics in high-burden settings. The study countries were selected based on the availability of demographic and health surveys (DHS) and corresponding geographic coordinates. We used multivariable regression to evaluate the determinants of HIV burden and assessed the presence and nature of HIV spatial autocorrelation in six Southern African countries. The overall prevalence of HIV for each country varied between 11.3% in Zambia and 22.4% in South Africa. The HIV prevalence rate was higher among female respondents in all six countries. There were reductions in prevalence estimates in most countries yearly from 2011 to 2020. The hotspot cluster findings show that the major cities in each country are the key sites of high HIV burden. Compared with female respondents, the odds of being HIV positive were lesser among the male respondents. The probability of HIV infection was higher among those who had sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the last 12 months, divorced and widowed individuals, and women aged 25 years and older. Our research findings show that analysis of survey data could provide reasonable estimates of the wide-ranging spatial structure of the HIV epidemic in Southern African countries. Key determinants such as individuals who are divorced, middle-aged women, and people who recently treated STIs, should be the focus of HIV prevention and control interventions. The spatial distribution of high-burden areas for HIV in the selected countries was more pronounced in the major cities. Interventions should also be focused on locations identified as hotspot clusters.

Case Volumes, Variations, and Challenges for General Surgery Training in the East, Central, and Southern African Sub-Region: Heterogeneity and Challenges as COSECSA Concludes Its First Twenty-Four Years.

Case Volumes, Variations, and Challenges for General Surgery Training in the East, Central, and Southern African Sub-Region: Heterogeneity and Challenges as COSECSA Concludes Its First Twenty-Four Years.

EXPENDITURE ON WELL-BEING, HIV PREVALENCE AND PERFORMANCE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH IN EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN SUB- REGIONS

This study was motivated by the dearth of current studies on the linkages among HIV,GDP and disaggregated outlay on well-being in Eastern and Southern African regions. Hence, the main focus of this study is to investigate the nature and direction of the Hsiao causality among HIV, GDP and disaggregated outlay on well-being in Eastern and Southern African regions. Aggregate time series data from 1994 to 2020 on these variables were used to test the unit root, cointegration and Hsiao causality bivariate regression model specified for each region. The results are mixed for the two regions: for the East African sub-region, the results suggest that total outlay on well-being does not Hsiao Granger cause GDP but GDP does (portending a one-way Granger causality). But for the Southern African sub-region, the results suggest that total outlay on well-being Hsiao Granger causes GDP and GDP Hsiao Granger causes Outlay on well-being (suggesting a two-way Granger causality).
 Keywords: Outlay On Well-Being; Growth; HIV Prevalence; East Africa Region; Southern Africa Region.

Role of Financial Sector Development in the Nexus Between Inclusive Growth and Poverty: A Regional Comparative Analysis from Sub-Saharan Africa

The problem of poverty in the developing countries and what makes Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) a region with the “highest number of poor people” in the world remains a topical issue that requires serious research attention. Following extant studies, in which the mediating role of financial sector development has not been taken into consideration in their finance- growth and poverty nexus, this study deviates by using two measures of poverty level: absolute and multidimensional poverty level; and at the same time provides comparative analyses at SSA sub-regional communities. Our findings reveal that the effects of inclusive growth on poverty reduction (both absolute and multidimensional level), for most sub-regions in SSA except Central African countries, are positive. While the mediating role of financial sector development appeared to be slightly different with mixed results. In West and Central African countries, the mediating role of the financial sector, though very weak, complements theinclusive growth effects on poverty reduction. On the contrary, financial sector development does not complement inclusive growth when it comes to poverty reduction in South African countries. Also, financial sector development does not complement the absolute poverty reduction effect of inclusive growth in the East African sub-region but the result is otherwise under multidimensional poverty reduction. Therefore, we recommend that financial sector development in most SSA countries should be improved upon through relevant monetary policy that promotes financial innovations, financial sector reforms, efficiency in financial inclusion across the region, and at the same time efforts should be geared toward directing some of the gains in financial sector development to inclusive growth-enhancing activities in southern African sub-region

An overview of Lepidoptera-host-parasitoid associations for southern Africa, including an illustrated report on 2 370 African Lepidoptera-host and 119 parasitoid-Lepidoptera associations

We present an overview of the known host associations of larval Lepidoptera for southern Africa, based on a database of 11 628 rearings, including all Caterpillar Rearing Group (CRG) records and other published records. Rearings per Lepidoptera family show some bias in the rearing effort towards the more conspicuous families, ectophagous groups and non-detritus-feeders but in general follow species diversity. Recorded Lepidoptera host associations per host family for southern Africa are shown. Data analyses revealed the following general trends: of the 20 most reared species 13 are polyphagous; Fabaceae are the most utilised plant family with 2 122 associations, followed by Asteraceae (600), Malvaceae (564) and Anacardiaceae (476); 98.8 % of hosts are vascular plants; and of the 19 most utilised host species 18 are common trees or shrubs. We discuss possible reasons behind these trends, particularly the high utilisation of Fabaceae and the widespread use of trees and shrubs as hosts. We compare recorded host species numbers with species diversity for the 19 most recorded host families and discuss possible reasons for the low utilisation of four plant families with an exceptionally low percentage of Lepidoptera host species / plant host species diversity. All Lepidoptera families for which more than 100 rearings have been recorded (21 families) utilise one (or two in the case of Pyralidae, Nolidae and Hesperiidae) plant family exponentially more than any of the other families, with resulting histograms forming hyperbolic curves, as are typical of distributions of taxonomic assemblages in nature. We calculate an exponential factor to quantify this phenomenon and show that for all 21 Lepidoptera families one host family is utilised 6–33 times more than the average use of other host families. In this paper, the larvae and adults of 953 African, mostly South African, Lepidoptera species reared by the CRG between January 2016 and June 2019 are illustrated together with pertinent host information. 119 Lepidoptera-parasitoid associations are reported, comprising seven hymenopteran families and one dipteran family. With the current data release, larval host association records are now available for 2 826 Lepidoptera species in the southern African subregion, covering about 25 % of the described fauna.

Gestational weight gain in sub-Saharan Africa: Estimation based on pseudo-cohort design.

Inadequate or excess gestational weight gain (GWG) leads to multiple undesirable birth outcomes. Yet, in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) little is known about the weight gain pattern in pregnancy. The purpose of the study is to estimate the average gestational weight gain (GWG) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and to examined whether there had been recent improvements or not. Based on cross-sectional anthropometric data extracted from multiple Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in SSA, we estimated the average GWG in the region. Pseudo-cohort design was used to reconstruct GWG trajectories based on aggregated data of 110,482 women extracted from 30 recent surveys. Trend in GWG between 2000 and 2015 was determined using the data of 11 SSA countries. Pre-pregnancy weight was estimated based on the weight of non-pregnant women at risk of conception. On average, women in SSA gain inadequate weight (6.6 kg, 95% confidence interval, 6.0-7.2) over pregnancy. No meaningful gain was observed in the first trimester; whereas, women in the second and third trimesters put on 2.2 and 3.2 kg, respectively. The highest weight gain (10.5, 8.2-12.9 kg) was observed in Southern African sub-region and the lowest in Western Africa (5.8, 5.0-6.6 kg). The GWG among women who had secondary or above education (9.5, 8.2-10.9 kg) was higher than women with lower education (5.0, 4.3-5.8 kg). Likewise, GWG in women from richest households (9.0, 7.2-10.7 kg) was superior to those from poorest households (6.1, 5.3-7.0 kg). The estimated recent (2015-20) mean GWG (6.6, 5.8-7.4 kg) was not significantly different from what had been at beginning of the new millennium (6.7, 5.9-7.5 kg). In SSA GWG is extremely low and is not showing improvements.

IN THIS ISSUE

Published for the past 35 years, this journal has witnessed major social and political changes in Southern Africa, the wider African continent and the rest of the world. The Strategic Review for Southern Africa has responded to these shifts by aligning its analyses to capture the challenges facing Southern Africa within an increasingly interlinked and dynamic world. The rationale and context of such adjustments to new realities were assessed in the introductory essay to the last issue (No 1 of 2013), which also presented the 'new face' of this periodical. We shall, of course, maintain continuity by engaging with analyses of socio-political, economic and geostrategic developments that impact on or provide lessons for Southern Africa.This understanding includes a wider concept of the region and the continual yet varying impact on Southern Africa from elsewhere. We thus welcomed the offer by two renowned scholars from the Nordic countries to act as guest editors of the thematic focus in this issue: the effects of the so-called Arab spring on French speaking Central and West Africa, in particular Mali and Mauritania of the Sahel region. Also, South Africa's military engagement in other parts of the continent has demonstrated that the inter-connectivity of societies and regions has reached new dimensions. As one of the most influential and powerful member states of the African Union, South Africa has resumed responsibility as a continental actor far beyond the Southern African sub-region. It is hence of direct relevance and importance what happens elsewhere on the continent in terms of transitions and conflicts.

IN THIS ISSUE

It is no news to anybody that the power structures in our world have considerably shifted during the last quarter of a century. Glasnost and the ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union towards the end of the 1980s brought an end to the bipolar world dominated by the East-West conflict and the Cold War since the aftermath of World War II. The end of the Soviet bloc also paved the way towards an appeasement strategy inthe Southern African sub-region. What was praised as "the end of history", meaning the ultimate victory of capitalism as the uncontested mode of production structuring societies (and classes), however, led to an only short-lived sole hegemony of the main Western powers and in particular the United States (US) during the 1990s. These were the days when 'good governance' became the terminology of a crusade against which regimes were measured and judged. The criteria were based on Western capitalist notions of development as conceptualised and imposed by the International Financial Institutions (IFIs). But as we know, little changed for many towards the better. The problem of affordable access to higher education, a demand erupting these days forcefully on South African campuses, was not least enhanced through policy recommendations in the 1990s, which neglected such investment in the social and intellectual capacity of countries and their people.1)
 While old conflicts were solved, new conflicts and ideologicalbattlefields emerged. The rise of China as the world's next superpower marked the beginning of the 21st century, and the shock waves sent through the world with 9/11 opened a new era of "war against terror", in which human rights were the first victim. Development and security became integral elements of a global governance system, which since the turn of the century set paradigmatic frameworks, first with the Millennium Development Goals and now with the Sustainable Development Goals, while continuous efforts to achieve agreed measures to curb carbon emissions and bring environmental degradation and climate change to a halt have remained futile efforts. The tokenism so far only shows that governments continue to remain loyal to their own agendas. Guided by such shortsightedness, they do not act in solidarity with humanity as an integral part of nature and habitat to increase the chances for survival. Profit maximisation at all costs remains the ultimate goal even if in the long term at too high a price.

The distribution and use of feedback bulletins among national immunization program management teams in East and Southern Africa.

IntroductionImmunization program monitoring includes numerous activities, some of which include monitoring of vaccination coverage, surveillance performance and epidemiological patterns. The provision of timely, high quality and actionable feedback is an essential component of strengthening health systems. Within the African region of the WHO, various bulletins are produced and disseminated regularly to provide feedback on the performance of immunization programs and vaccine preventable disease control initiatives.MethodsThe 2019 annual national immunization program managers’ meeting for countries in the eastern and southern African subregion was held in Asmara from 18 - 20 March 2019. A survey questionnaire was administered to the participants representing the national programs and in-country partners across the 20 countries.ResultsOn average, the 75 respondents receive 1.8 e-mailed feedback bulletins monthly. Twenty-three (31%) respondents receive 3 or more written feedback bulletins per month, and 72% receive the bulletins regularly. On a scale of 1 - 5 (from lowest to highest), 87% participants rated the relevance of the bulletins they receive at 4 - 5. Only 19% of the respondents responded that the results are discussed within the national immunization program, and 14% stated that action points are generated based on the feedback received. Fifty-nine (79%) respondents want to receive more frequent feedback on routine immunization performance. Among the EPI program managers and the EPI program data managers, the access to these feedback bulletins was quite limited. Even though the primary objective of the bulletins is to initiate discussions and action based on the provided feedback, such discussions do not happen regularly at country level. The programmatic use and advocacy value of the bulletins is not optimal.ConclusionWe recommend integrating program feedback, regularly updating the distribution lists, the additional use of instant messaging platforms for distribution, as well as online posting of the bulletins for wider availability.

The reproductive pattern of the Gerbilliscus cf. leucogaster (Rodentia: Muridae) from Namibia

Very little is known about the reproductive biology of the Gerbilliscus cf. leucogaster (Peters, 1852) despite its wide distribution throughout the southern African subregion. Body mass, reproductive tract morphometrics, and gonadal histology were studied over 12 months in wild caught Gerbilliscus cf. leucogaster from the central part of Namibia to gain insights into the reproductive pattern of this species. The number of Graafian follicles and corpora lutea in 93 females increased at the end of the dry period (September) and throughout the wet months of the year (October–May) relative to that of the dry season (June–August). Pregnant and lactating females were recorded during the wet months of the year, with a peak observed during February. Testicular mass relative to body mass, testicular volume, and seminiferous tubule diameter in 64% of males increased significantly during the rainfall period (October–June). In addition, 8% of males exhibited little spermatogenesis and 28% showed no spermatogenesis or presence of sperm in the epididymis during the dry period (June–August). These findings suggest that the Gerbilliscus cf. leucogaster breeds predominantly during the rainfall period in Namibia when the food resources are more abundant.

Bartonellae of Synanthropic Four-Striped Mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) from the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Bartonella is a species-rich bacterial genus that infects a wide variety of wild and domestic animals, including rodents. Despite high levels of murid rodent diversity in Africa, associated Bartonella prevalence and diversity remains understudied, particularly within the southern African subregion. To address this, we sampled endemic four-striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio, from three rural and two urban localities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. PCR screening and multilocus sequence analysis inclusive of five genome regions (gltA, nuoG, ribC, rpoB, and ITS), were respectively used to evaluate Bartonella status and diversity in these synanthropic rodent populations. An overall infection rate of 15% was recovered, ranging from 0% for an urban locality to 36.4% for a rural locality, consistent with the higher flea abundance recorded at the latter sites. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analyses confirmed the presence of three distinct Bartonella lineages (I-III), with lineages II and III grouping with bartonellae previously detected in R. pumilio from nature reserves in the Free State Province of South Africa, and lineage I being novel and sister to Bartonella strains identified previously in Micaelamys namaquensis. Our results indicate significant landscape effects on infection rates, highlight differential PCR assay performance, and identify three host-associated Bartonella lineages in Rhabdomys from South Africa.

The terrestrial mammals of Mozambique: Integrating dispersed biodiversity data

Background: The most comprehensive synopsis of the mammal fauna of Mozambique was published in 1976, listing 190 species of terrestrial mammals. Up-to-date knowledge of the country’s biodiversity is crucial to establish the baseline information needed for conservation and management actions.Objectives: The aim of this article was to present a list of terrestrial mammal species reported from Mozambique, based on primary occurrence data.Method: We integrated existing knowledge, from dispersed sources of biodiversity data: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility portal, natural history collections, survey reports and literature. Data were updated and manually curated. However, none of the specimens upon which occurrences are based was directly observed. To partly overcome this impediment, we developed a species selection process for specimen data. This process produced the country’s species checklist and an additional list of species with questionable occurrence in the country.Results: From the digital and non-digital sources, we compiled more than 17 000 records. The data integrated resulted in a total of 217 mammal species (representing 14 orders, 39 families and 133 genera) with supported occurrence in Mozambique and 23 species with questionable reported occurrence in the country.Conclusion: The diversity of species accounted for is considerable as more than 70% of species present in the southern African subregion are found in Mozambique. We consider that the current number of mammal species in Mozambique is still underestimated. The methodological approach for species selection for specimen data can be adapted to update species checklists of crucial importance to countries facing similar lack of knowledge regarding their biodiversity.

South African Economic Development in SADC Sub-Regional Integration

Following the end of colonialism in the Southern African sub-region, the SADC has experienced a thorough rearrangement with South Africa as the front-runner as opposed to her pre-1994 stance on integration. African regional cooperation has nevertheless been revitalised in some ways as a result of the two major events which started in the beginning of the 1990s that include the abolition of the apartheid regime in South Africa, and the eventual stabilisation of both political and economic relationships in the Southern Africa sub-region. This study employs the use of content analyses to assess the position of South Africa investments in SADC. Through the use ofregional integration, the studyfurther examined various South Africa’s Key Economy Performance since 1994 which are the main contributing factors to South African economic growth; furthermore it looks at her material, commodity and political investment in the subregional integration process to determine if it serves as the strategy for National Economic Development for South Africa.The paper find out thatregardless of South Africa’s economic clout within the SADC region, its Foreign Direct Investment is predominantly from its investment and market penetration of Southern Africa region while maintaining constant economic growth.

South African Economic Development in SADC Sub-Regional Integration

Following the end of colonialism in the Southern African sub-region, the SADC has experienced a thorough rearrangement with South Africa as the front-runner as opposed to her pre-1994 stance on integration. African regional cooperation has nevertheless been revitalised in some ways as a result of the two major events which started in the beginning of the 1990s that include the abolition of the apartheid regime in South Africa, and the eventual stabilisation of both political and economic relationships in the Southern Africa sub-region. This study employs the use of content analyses to assess the position of South Africa investments in SADC. Through the use ofregional integration, the studyfurther examined various South Africa’s Key Economy Performance since 1994 which are the main contributing factors to South African economic growth; furthermore it looks at her material, commodity and political investment in the subregional integration process to determine if it serves as the strategy for National Economic Development for South Africa.The paper find out thatregardless of South Africa’s economic clout within the SADC region, its Foreign Direct Investment is predominantly from its investment and market penetration of Southern Africa region while maintaining constant economic growth.

Life on the rocks: Multilocus phylogeography of rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) from southern Africa

Understanding the role of geography and climatic cycles in determining patterns of biodiversity is important in comparative and evolutionary biology and conservation. We studied the phylogeographic pattern and historical demography of a rock-dwelling small mammal species from southern Africa, the rock hyrax Procavia capensis capensis. Using a multilocus coalescent approach, we assessed the influence of strong habitat dependence and fluctuating regional climates on genetic diversity. We sequenced a mitochondrial gene (cytochrome b) and two nuclear introns (AP5, PRKC1) supplemented with microsatellite genotyping, in order to assess evolutionary processes over multiple temporal scales. In addition, distribution modelling was used to investigate the current and predicted distribution of the species under different climatic scenarios. Collectively, the data reveal a complex history of isolation followed by secondary contact shaping the current intraspecific diversity. The cyt b sequences confirmed the presence of two previously proposed geographically and genetically distinct lineages distributed across the southern African Great Escarpment and north-western mountain ranges. Molecular dating suggests Miocene divergence of the lineages, yet there are no discernible extrinsic barriers to gene flow. The nuclear markers reveal incomplete lineage sorting or ongoing mixing of the two lineages. Although the microsatellite data lend some support to the presence of two subpopulations, there is weak structuring within and between lineages. These data indicate the presence of gene flow from the northern into the southern parts of the southern African sub-region likely following the secondary contact. The distribution modelling predictably reveal the species’ preference for rocky areas, with stable refugia through time in the northern mountain ranges, the Great Escarpment, as well as restricted areas of the Northern Cape Province and the Cape Fold Mountains of South Africa. Different microclimatic variables appear to determine the distributional range of the species. Despite strong habitat preference, the micro-habitat offered by rocky crevices and unique life history traits likely promoted the adaptability of P. capensis, resulting in the widespread distribution and persistence of the species over a long evolutionary period. Spatio-temporal comparison of the evolutionary histories of other co-distributed species across the rocky landscapes of southern Africa will improve our understanding of the regional patterns of biodiversity and local endemism.

Automatic classification of whistles from coastal dolphins of the southern African subregion.

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is commonly used to generate information on the distribution, abundance, and behavior of cetacean species. In African waters, the utilization of PAM lags behind most other continents. This study examines whether the whistles of three coastal delphinid species (Delphinus delphis, Tursiops truncatus, and Tursiops aduncus) commonly encountered in the southern African subregion can be readily distinguished using both statistical analysis of standard whistle parameters and the automated detection and classification software PAMGuard. A first account of whistles recorded from D. delphis from South Africa is included. Using PAMGuard, classification to species was high with an overall mean correct classification rate of 87.3%. Although lower, high rates of correct classification were also found (78.4%) when the two T. aduncus populations were included separately. Classification outcomes reflected patterns observed in standard whistle parameters. Such acoustic discrimination may be useful for confirmation of morphologically similar species in the field. Classification success was influenced by training and testing the classifier with data from different populations, highlighting the importance of locally collected acoustic data to inform classifiers. The small number of sampling populations may have inflated the classification success, therefore, classification trials using a greater number of species are recommended.

First Report of Banana bunchy top virus in Banana (Musa spp.) from South Africa

Bananas (Musaceae, Zingiberales) are considered to be one of the most important fruit crops and an important staple food in many developing tropical and subtropical regions (Kumar et al., 2011). In Southern Africa, banana production is under threat from a number of viral diseases, including Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) (family Nanoviridae, genus Babuvirus). BBTV is the cause of Banana bunchy top disease, the most devastating virus disease of banana. In Sub-Saharan Africa the disease is endemic to 13 countries, including Malawi and Zambia in the Southern African sub-region. Previously, a detection survey for BBTV was done in South Africa in 1996 and this study confirmed the absence of BBTV in the Kiepersol region of Mpumalanga Province (Pietersen et al., 1996). No other surveys were conducted since then in South Africa. The disease is spread by the banana aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel (Hemiptera: Aphididae), that is present in South Africa, and through infected propagation material. Pentalonia nigronervosa feeds on the phloem of host plants, and potentially picks up the BBTV particles from the phloem and spreads them in plantations as they feed. In June 2015, five 'Williams' plants, showing symptoms resembling BBTV, including streaks on the pseudostem and upright bunchy appearance, were submitted for identification to the Virology Diagnostic Lab at Agricultural Research Council-Plant Protection Research Institute (ARC-PPRI). The plants originated from a farm close to Hibberdene in the KwaZulu Natal South Coast production region (GPS coordinates: S 300 30, 636', E 300 30,653'). A BBTV-specific PCR was done using the protocol published by Thomson and Dietzgen (1995), using primer pairs BBT-1 and BBT-2, amplifying a fragment of the putative replicase gene. The five plants tested positive for BBTV, and the PCR products (~349 bp) of two of the accessions, 15/1408 and 15/1410, were directly sequenced using Sanger sequencing and 321 bp of both sequences were deposited in GenBank (GenBank Accession Nos: KU196167, KU196168). A non-infected banana plant was included in the test as a healthy control. Phylogenetic analyses of the partial replicase genomic region grouped accessions 15/1408 and 15/1410 with the South Pacific group that included accessions from India, Pakistan and other regions in Africa with a sequence identity of 99% (Kumar et al., 2011). A second confirmation test for the presence of BBTV in these plants was conducted using a BBTV-specific Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) supplied by Agdia (Catalog number: SRA24700) using the manufacturer's instructions. The five plants tested positive for BBTV in the ELISA test, confirming the previous positive results. Forty-four additional samples were included in the ELISA test. These samples were collected randomly from 14 blocks on the same farm (GPS coordinates: S 300 30, 636', E 300 30,653') and comprised of symptomatic and non-symptomatic plants. BBTV was detected with ELISA in 34 of these plants, ten plants tested negative for BBTV. In one of these blocks, C17, all the sampled plants (4), tested negative. In three other blocks (A9, C8 and C15), positive and negative plants were recorded. In the remaining 10 blocks, all collected plants tested positive. Intense management strategies, including removal of infected plants and spraying for aphids, were implemented on the farm to prohibit the spread of the virus to neighbouring plantations. The ELISA test confirmed the earlier detection of BBTV with PCR and sequencing. This is the first report of BBTV on Musa spp. from South Africa. Strict implementation of phytosanitary measures will be necessary to prevent the spread of this virus to other regions in the country. The need to do extensive surveys for the presence of BBTV in other banana production regions in South Africa is highlighted by this finding.

Animal-adapted members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex endemic to the southern African subregion.

Members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) cause tuberculosis (TB) in both animals and humans. In this article, three animal-adapted MTC strains that are endemic to the southern African subregion – that is, Mycobacterium suricattae, Mycobacterium mungi, and the dassie bacillus – are reviewed with a focus on clinical and pathological presentations, geographic distribution, genotyping methods, diagnostic tools and evolution. Moreover, factors influencing the transmission and establishment of TB pathogens in novel host populations, including ecological, immunological and genetic factors of both the host and pathogen, are discussed. The risks associated with these infections are currently unknown and further studies will be required for greater understanding of this disease in the context of the southern African ecosystem.

Filling the gaps on the maps: historical distribution patterns of some larger mammals in part of southern Africa

Distribution data form the basis of the study of zoo-geography, which has applications in, inter alia, ecology and conservation. Written records were used to estimate the distribution patterns of some of the medium- to large-sized terrestrial mammals in central, southern and western South Africa, and neighbouring Lesotho, during the early historical period (late 1400 s to the 1920s). The sources of these records comprise mainly published or unpublished letters, journals, diaries or books written by literate pioneers – notably various missionaries, explorers, travellers, naturalists, military personnel, big game hunters and agro-pastoralists. The classification (according to record type) of the written records in key publications was standardised, and records overlooked by them are taken into account. Interpretation of the spatial patterns provided by the written records was aided by reference to supporting information, in the form of qualifying palaeontological, zoo-archaeological and museum records. Written records of acceptable quality are shown, together with supporting records (where applicable), on a series of species occurrence maps, which also depict the biomes that are represented in the study area. The information on these maps is interpreted, together with relevant information in the source texts and a map of the bioregions that constitute the biomes in question, to estimate distribution patterns that prevailed during the period under study. Data are presented for 27 genera, 36 species and 2 subspecies, comprising 7 carnivores and 30 herbivores. Despite the limitations associated with the use of written records, the information provided is considered to offer a realistic distribution pattern for most of the taxa covered. The use of supporting records is justified, since the majority of these corroborate the ranges derived from the written records. The present study enhances our knowledge of distribution patterns for these larger mammal species in a large part of the southern African sub-region during the early historical period. It also provides a first attempt to describe the sub-regional scale, historical, distribution patterns within the context of the broad biogeographical characteristics of the area in question. There is a need to extend the coverage achieved by this study to include the remaining approx. 30% of “South Africa”, i.e. the region incorporating South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, and also the area incorporated by the countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This level of coverage will permit enhanced definition of historical distribution patterns for some larger mammals in the southern African sub-region. There is also a need to better understand the drivers, as well as the implications, of the observed changes in the distribution of the larger mammals since the start of the historical period.

A Standardized Necropsy Protocol for Health Investigations of Small Cetaceans in Southern Africa

Globally, the increasing need to conduct both research and surveillance of the health of wild animal populations has been recognized as an important tool in conservation and management. While such studies on terrestrial wildlife are frequent in the southern African sub-region, their counterparts in the marine environment seem to be largely lacking. Here we report on our experience in establishing and testing a standardized necropsy protocol for small cetaceans adapted for the local context, with the specific aim of sampling for health investigations and monitoring. The necessity, challenge and value of regional standardization in data collection specifically aimed at health investigations, inter-disciplinary collaboration, long-term data banking, and sample storage are discussed in addition to practical and safety considerations. The developed protocol, focusing on the necropsy technique and tissue sample collection, as well as a list of required equipment are available as online supplementary material.