A microbial safari: finding evidence of <i>Mycobacterium bovis</i> DNA in soil from the Kruger National Park, South Africa

This article describes the first evidence that DNA from the bacterial pathogen, <i>Mycobacterium bovis</i>, 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 <i>Mycobacterium</i> are spread primarily through direct contact with infected hosts. However, the presence of <i>M. bovis</i> DNA in KNP soil could indicate a role for the environment in disease transmission. This complements the growing evidence from European regions that <i>M. bovis</i> 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 <i>Mycobacterium</i> pathogens using non-invasive sampling (sampling the environment rather than animals directly) when culturing is not possible.