Bovine Tuberculosis

Bovine Tuberculosis
Introduction
Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic disease of animals caused by a bacteria which is closely
related to the bacteria that cause human and avian tuberculosis. This disease can affect
practically all mammals, causing a general state of illness, coughing and eventual death. The
name Tuberculosis comes from the nodules, called ‘tubercles’, which form in the lymph nodes
and lungs of affected animals. Until the 1920s when control measures began in developed
countries, it was one of the major diseases of domestic animals throughout the world. Today TB
remains an important disease of cattle, wild animals, and is a significant zoonosis (a disease of
animals which can also infect humans). TB is a disease listed in the World Organisation for
Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code, and must be reported to the OIE
(organization of international epizootics).
Etiology
Bovine tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). Mycobacterium avium (M.
avium) cause tuberculosis in birds.
Distribution
TB is found throughout the world. The disease is more prevalent in most of Africa, parts of Asia
and of the Americas.
Host Range
The disease affects humans, animals and birds. Although cattle are considered to be the true
hosts of M. bovis, the disease has been reported in many other domesticated and non-
domesticated animals. Isolations have been made from buffaloes, bison, sheep, goats, equines,
camels, pigs, wild boars, deer, antelopes, dogs, cats, foxes, mink, badgers, ferrets, rats, primates,
llamas, kudus, elands, tapirs, elks, elephants, sitatungas, oryxes, addaxes, rhinoceroses, possums,
ground squirrels, otters, seals, hares, moles, raccoons, coyotes and several predatory felines
including lions, tigers, leopards and lynx.
Transmission
The disease is contagious and spread by contact with infected domestic and wild animals. The
usual route of infection is by inhaling infected droplets which are expelled from the lungs by
coughing. Calves and humans can also become infected by ingesting raw milk from infected
cows. Because the course of disease is slow, taking months or years to kill an infected animal, an
animal can spread the disease to many other herd mates before it begins to manifest clinical
signs. Therefore, movement of undetected infected domestic animals and contact with infected
wild animals are the major ways of spreading the disease.
Zoonotic Implication
Mycobacterium bovis is not the major cause of human tuberculosis, which is caused by M.
tuberculosis, but humans are susceptible to bovine TB. Humans can be infected both by drinking
raw milk from infected cattle, or by inhaling infective droplets. It is estimated in some countries
that up to ten percent of human tuberculosis is due to Bovine TB. Recent study has indicated that
M. tuberculosis can also cause tuberculosis in bovines.
Clinical Signs
TB usually has a prolonged course, and symptoms take months or years to appear. The usual clinical
signs include: weakness, loss of appetite, weight-loss, fluctuating fever, intermittent hacking cough,
diarrhea, large prominent lymph nodes. However, the bacteria can also lie dormant in the host without
causing disease.
Diagnosis
The standard method for detection of TB is the tuberculin test, where a small amount of antigen is
injected into the skin, and the immune reaction is measured. Definitive diagnosis is made by growing the
bacteria in the laboratory, a process that takes at least eight weeks.
Treatment
Treatment of infected animals is rarely attempted because of the high cost, lengthy time and the
larger goal of eliminating the disease. The pathogen is very resistant and treatment response is
questionable.
Prevention and Control
The standard control measure applied to TB is test and slaughter. Disease eradication programs
consisting of post mortem meat inspection, intensive surveillance including on-farm visits,
systematic individual testing of cattle and removal of infected and in contact animals as well as
movement controls have been very successful in reducing or eliminating the disease. Post
mortem meat inspection of animals looks for the tubercles in the lungs and lymph nodes.
Detecting these infected animals prevents unsafe meat from entering the food chain and allows
veterinary services to trace-back to the herd of origin of the infected animal which can then be
tested and eliminated if needed. Pasteurisation of milk of infected animals to a temperature
sufficient to kill the bacteria prevents the spread of disease in humans. Vaccination is practiced
in human medicine, but it is not widely used as a preventive measure in animals: the efficacy of
existing animal vaccines is variable and it interferes with testing to eliminate the disease. A
number of new candidate vaccines are currently being tested.

Bovine Tuberculosis

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