Investigation of the immunogenetic and infection status of scimitar-horned oryx and livestock in Tunisia

疾病在野生动物-牲畜之间的传播被认为是牲畜健康和粮食安全以及野生动物保护管理中的一个严重问题。传统上只被认为是对农业的威胁（英国牛结核病通过獾传播；非洲口蹄疫通过水牛传播），牲畜和野生动物种群之间双向传播的可能性也对高度受威胁物种构成风险。该项目将调查半野生弯角羚羊（SHO）的感染和免疫遗传状况，弯角羚羊是一种魅力十足的北非羚羊，被认为在野外灭绝了近40年。过去二十年来，突尼斯在景观规模的围栏内建立了多个小型SHO种群，目前正在考虑进行试验释放，并将与当地牲畜接触。有必要也有机会对突尼斯SHO和牲畜种群的免疫遗传多样性和疾病状况进行研究，为风险评估提供信息，并随后调查对照试验释放的结果。

Disease transmission across the wildlife-livestock interface is recognised as a serious issue in livestock health and food security, as well as wildlife conservation management. Traditionally only considered a threat to farming (UK bovine TB transmission via badgers; African FMD transmission through buffalo), the potential for two-way transmission between livestock and wildlife populations also poses risks to highly threatened species. This project will investigate the infection and immunogenetic status of a semi-wild meta-population of scimitar-horned oryx (SHO), a charismatic north-African antelope considered extinct in the wild for nearly forty years. Multiple small SHO populations established in Tunisia over the past twenty years within fenced landscape-scale enclosures are currently being considered for trial release and will come into contact with local livestock. There is the need and opportunity to conduct research into the immunogenetic diversity and disease status of both SHO and livestock populations in Tunisia to inform the risk assessments, and subsequently investigate the outcomes of controlled trial releases.