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India - Suspected TB killing bears at Bannerghatta

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  • India - Suspected TB killing bears at Bannerghatta

    Suspected TB killing bears at Bannerghatta

    Poornima Nataraj and Chethan Kumar, Bangalore, July 22, 2012, DHNS:
    <FIGURE class=floatLeftImg></FIGURE>

    A strange infection that is believed to be causing human tuberculosis (TB) in bears has resulted in the death of a 14-year-old sloth bear Vivek and put lives of another 10 bears in critical condition at the Bear Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (BRRC) at the Wildlife SOS in Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP).

    Officials at BBP on Sunday said that Vivek died of the disease around 9:15 am, two days after 15-year-old Yamini died of TB.

    Vivek was under treatment for three months.

    A total of nine bears have been reported dead since November 2010 at the centre.

    ?Ten more bears, all in the age-group of 15-25 years, are critical. Despite strenuous efforts, veterinary doctors have been failing to accurately diagnose the disease. The results vary, which is proving to be costly,? the in-house Wildlife Vet, Arun A Sha, told Deccan Herald.

    The problem, he said, is that the animals did not show symptoms of the disease. ?But those who are in a critical condition have lost their appetite and consume very little milk and porridge. The doctors are just unable to determine and diagnose the disease at an early stage, and we are unable to save the animals.

    More...
    A strange infection that is believed to be causing human tuberculosis (TB) in bears has resulted in the death of a 14-year-old sloth bear Vivek and put lives of another 10 bears in critical condition at the Bear Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (BRRC) at the Wildlife SOS in Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP).

  • #2
    Re: India - Suspected TB killing bears at Bannerghatta

    17 bears TB infected, doctors say no cure
    July 24, 2012 By Amit S. Upadhye DC Bengaluru


    Veterinary doctors treating the tuberculosis (TB) affected sloth bears in Bannerghatta Zoo say there is no cure for the disease. The disease cannot even be detected early because there are no TB detection kits for sloth bears available in India. Vets screen the bears using TB kits used for elephants.

    The tally of bears diagnosed with TB symptoms so far is 17. They have been separated from the other sloth bears in the rehabilitation centre. The big worry for the vets now is that the infected sloth bears have stopped eating the food that is mixed with TB medicine. Dr Arun A. Sha, wildlife veterinary officer with Wildlife SOS, said that there are no injecting drugs to treat TB in sloth bears.
    ...
    Twitter: @RonanKelly13
    The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.

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