Nepal Elephant TB Control and Mgt Action Plan.pdf - Elephant Care ...

Nepal Elephant Tuberculosis Control andManagement Action Plan (2011-2015)See secon 1.5 for details.• Elephants that have completed treatment willbe designated as Group 3 - Treated.Note: TB-suspect and TB-infected elephantsshould be treated under most situaons. Thedecision to treat old or pregnant animals shouldbe made on a case by case basis. While veryold elephants with long-standing infecons areunlikely to be cured, treatment may preventshedding and older elephants (>50 years) inNepal have undergone treatment with minimal tono side effects.TB drugs have also been administered to lactangelephants with no side effects to mother or calf.In one case a pregnant elephant under treatmentaborted but it is unknown whether this wasassociated with the TB drugs or other causes.TB drugs are rounely administered to pregnanthumans with no ill effects.If a decision is made to withhold treatment ofa TB-infected elephant, the elephant should bemaintained in permanent segregaon for theremainder of its life and contact with wildlifestrictly prevented. Because of their highly socialnature, visual and auditory proximity to otherelephants is acceptable as long as the distanceprecludes any direct contact with respiratorysecreons, the elephant is cared for by aseparate handler (wearing personal protecon)and separate cleaning utensils are used for theinfected elephant. All untreated TB-infectedelephants are a risk to other elephants, humans,and wildlifeGroup 4. Untested: An elephant that has not yetbeen tested for TB. Untested elephants alreadyin Nepal (such as calves) should be tested assoon as possible. Elephants entering Nepalshould be tested prior to entering Nepal by alicensed veterinarian experienced in performingthe Elephant TB Stat-Pak ® test or by the TB PlanVeterinary Officer.Wri#en documentaon must include theelephant’s name; age; sex; owner’s nameand contact informaon; veterinarian’s nameand contact informaon; and test result. Aphotograph of the elephant and a photographof the test labeled with the elephant’s name anddate of the test must be included. The TB PlanVeterinary Officer has the authority to test newelephants or to re-test elephants to verify testresults upon arrival in Nepal.7