Figure 1

Body temperature in FMDV infected African buffalo. Body temperature, measured by temperature-sensitive data loggers, of each individual after needle or in-contact infection with FMDV SAT1 (column 1), SAT2 (column 2) or SAT3 (final column). One animal was eliminated from analysis for SAT 1 in-contact infected due to repeated high readings (animal 2). Panel (A) represents the raw temperatures over time. The dotted lines represent the normal temperatures as determined by the calculated reference range. Panel (B) represents the residuals from the fitted line, with a value above the dotted line considered a fever if the residuals stay above the line for 6 consecutive hours (72 readings). Body temperature fluctuates during the day and all NI and in-contact buffalo show high temperature within 1–2 days after virus infection (NI) and approximately 5 days after virus exposure (in-contact) and remained elevated for around 3–4 days. SAT2 NI had an earlier initial elevated temperature and compared to SAT1 NI and SAT3 NI (p = 0.02) and SAT3 in-contact showed a delay in fever (p = 0.006) compared to the SAT2 and SAT3 in-contact. All buffalo from the SAT1 NI and 1 animal from SAT2 and SAT3 showed a short second peak of high temperature at day 8 that lasted approximately 1 day only.