Zoo Biology 19:393–403 (2000) © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Tuberculosis in Elephants in North America

Within the past 4 years, tuberculosis (TB) has emerged as a disease of concern in elephants. The population of elephants in North America is declining [Wiese, 1997], and transmissible diseases such as TB may exacerbate this trend. Guide-lines for the Control of Tuberculosis in Elephants, which require the screening of all elephants for TB, were instituted in 1997 [USDA, 1997; 2000]. Between August 1996 and May 2000, Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from 18 of 539 elephants in North America, indicating an estimated prevalence of 3.3%. Isolation of the TB orga nism by culture is the currently recommended test to establish a diagnosis of TB; however, culture requires 8 weeks. Further research is essential to validate other diagnostic tests and treatment protocols. Zoo Bio