What Is Bovine Tuberculosis ?

What Is Bovine Tuberculosis

This type of Tuberculosis is often found in South Africa and abattoirs, specifically quarantine abattoirs, may occasionally encounter animals infected with Bovine Tuberculosis. Proper disposal of carcasses and waste material from infected animals is therefore of great importance to ensure safety.

Bovine TB belongs to a group of bacteria called Mycobacteriacea. These bacteria are gram positive, aerobic, non-spore forming, non-motile, slightly curved or straight rods. They are able to survive for weeks to months on inanimate objects protected from sunlight. They are also more resistant to acids, alkalis, and some chemical disinfectants than other non-spore forming bacteria.
Mycobacterium bovis (Bovine TB) is well known zoonotic disease and all warm-blooded animals are considered susceptible.

Humans can become infected from animals, and transmission from animals to humans has been documented. Human infection has been documented to occur from infected cattle, goats, deer, elk, buffalo, sheep and camels. Human exposure to the bacteria occurs under a variety of circumstances, primarily aerosol inhalation and ingestion of the bovine TB bacteria.

Aerosol exposure occurs at the farm, in the laboratory, or in the slaughter house. Consumption of unpasteurized milk, cheese, and other products can result in exposure to bovine TB, and direct, cutaneous exposure is seen in butchers and hunters dealing with infected animals.

Source:Michigan Department of Community Health

http://www.michvma.org/documents/MVC%20Proceedings%202009/Wilkins,%20%20MCVProceedings.pdf