Abstract
Bovine Tuberculosis (BTB) is an endemic disease in about one hundred countries, affecting the economy causing a decrease in productivity, condemnation of meat, and damaging the credibility on international trade. Additionally, Mycobacterium bovis the major causative agent for BTB can also infect humans causing a variety of clinical presentations. The aim of this study was to determine BTB prevalence and the main risk factors for the Mycobacterium bovis prevalence in cattle and buffalos in Amazonas State, Brazil. Tissue samples from 151 animals (45 buffalo and 106 cattle from five herds with buffalo only, 22 herds with cattle only, and 12 herds with buffalo and cattle) were obtained from slaughterhouses under State Veterinary Inspection. M. bovis were isolated on Stonebrink medium. The positive cultures were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. The apparent herd and animal prevalence rates were 56.4 and 5.40%, respectively. Regarding animal species, the apparent prevalence rates were 3% in cattle and 11.8% in buffalo. Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) with random effect were used to assess the association with risk factors on the prevalence. Species (buffalo), herds size (>100 animals) and the presence of both species (buffalo and cattle) in the herd were the major risk factors for the infection by Mycobacterium bovis in the region. The findings reveal an urgent need for evidence-based effective intervention to reduce BTB prevalence in cattle and buffalo and prevent its spread to the human population. Studies are needed to understand why buffalo are more likely to be infected by M. bovis than cattle in Amazon. Recommendations for zoning, use of data from the inspection services to generate information regarding BTB focus, adoption of epidemiological tools, and discouragement of practices that promote the mixing of cattle and buffalo, were made.
Highlights
Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) remains one of the world’s major health problems in livestock
Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) is the causative agent of BTB and is responsible for the zoonotic tuberculosis (TB) which is a major impediment for the success of the global efforts to end TB by the year 2030 [3]
This study aims to ascertain the prevalence of BTB and, through statistical modeling, unveil the main risk factors of the disease in cattle and water buffalos in Amazonas State, Brazil
Summary
Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) remains one of the world’s major health problems in livestock. BTB affects the national economy of countries where disease is endemic by causing a decrease in productivity, condemnation of meat in slaughterhouses, and decreasing the ability for international trade [1]. Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) is the causative agent of BTB and is responsible for the zoonotic tuberculosis (TB) which is a major impediment for the success of the global efforts to end TB by the year 2030 [3]. Estimates of the global burden of zoonotic TB are imprecise, in 2016 WHO estimated that there were 147,000 new cases of zoonotic TB in humans and 12,500 deaths due to the disease [4]. The human burden of disease cannot be reduced without controlling BTB in the animal reservoirs [4]
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