Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in cattle
Poster communication in 31st Annual Congress of the European Society of Mycobacteriology (ESM 2010)
July 4th, 2010
Romero B., Rodriguez-Campos S., de Juan L., Castellanos E., Bezos J., Moya N., Lozano F., Minguez O., Diaz R., Fernandez E., Mateos A. and Dominguez L.
According to the EU Bovine Tuberculosis Task Force, bovine tuberculosis is the infection in cattle caused by any mycobacterial species within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. However, M. bovis is considered the main etiological agent of the disease in animals. Tuberculosis in cattle due to the human pathogen, M. tuberculosis, is a rare event but the detection of this infection is increasing in countries where the prevalence of tuberculosis in humans is high.
In Spain, M. tuberculosis infection was detected in three cattle farms during compulsory skin test and/or bacteriological culture. Samples from lung and associated lymph nodes were taken at the abattoir and sent to the regional veterinary laboratories to confirm M. tuberculosis complex infection. Samples were cultured by the automated BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 System. Identification and molecular characterization were done by PCR and spoligotyping (spolDB4 database).
Positive cultures were obtained by the liquid culture system, PCR classified all isolates as members of the M. tuberculosis complex and spoligotyping identified three isolates as M. tuberculosis. They were only recovered from three animals (one from each farm) with three different spoligotypes (SIT58, SIT1564, SIT undetermined). In addition, M. bovis coexisted in a farm. A detailed epidemiological investigation was conducted and personnel closely related with the farms seemed to be the source of infection.
Although few M. tuberculosis have been isolated this infection is receiving attention in cattle due the risk of transmission to other animals or to humans. Moreover, the automated BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 System is recommended for the isolation of M. tuberculosis.
 | Servicio de Micobacterias (MYC). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
Link to 31st Annual Congress of the European Society of Mycobacteriology (ESM 2010)
