Abstract
Simple SummaryMycobacterium bovis is a Gram-positive, acid-fast bacterium responsible for disease in cattle and in several other domestic and wild animal species, also representing a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality in humans. In Italy, the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle has been progressively reduced throughout the years; however, the disease still remains widespread in Southern Italy, with the highest prevalence rates recorded in Sicily. Specific eradication programs have been established, with herd testing and post-mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse used as diagnostic procedures to obtain epidemiological data on bTB prevalence. The concomitant use of these procedures is essential in epidemiological surveillance programs, and although data on disease prevalence at herd level are systematically collected and used for epidemiological surveillance in Sicily, data from post-mortem inspection are scant. Therefore, the current survey aimed to investigate the prevalence of bTB in cattle in Sicily during two different three-year periods, using data from meat inspections and histopathological methods. Results obtained show that even though bTB occurrence in cattle was well reduced over the years, the disease still remains widespread in this region, posing severe implications for public health and a prominent economic impact on the livestock industry.Post-mortem inspection in slaughterhouses plays a key role in the epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases, including bTB. This study assessed the prevalence of bTB in cattle in Sicily during two different three-year periods (2010–2012; 2017–2019), using data from meat inspections and histopathological methods. Out of 100,196 cattle, 5221 (5.21%) were diagnosed with tuberculous lesions. Higher prevalence of bTB was recorded during the triennium 2010–2012 (6.74%; n = 3692) compared to the triennium 2017–2019 (3.36%; n = 1529), with a decreasing trend in annual occurrence throughout the study period and a heterogenous proportion of infected cattle among the Sicilian provinces (p < 0.01). Lower rates of infection were recorded in animals aged <12 months and >84 months (p < 0.0001). Pearson’s chi square analysis revealed a higher localization of lesions in the thoracic cavity (p < 0.0001). Gathered findings show that even though bTB occurrence in cattle was greatly reduced over the years, the disease still remains widespread in Sicily, also posing severe implications for public health.
Highlights
Zoonotic tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality in humans, and remains a cause of concern for livestock and wildlife worldwide [1,2,3].Disease in humans has reemerged in several ecological scenarios, and in 2016, the World HealthOrganization (WHO) estimated 147,000 new human cases and 12,500 deaths due to the disease, globally [4]
Mycobacterium bovis is a Gram-positive, acid-fast bacterium belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) [7], responsible for disease in cattle, commonly known as bovine tuberculosis, posing a risk for human infection and making the disease of public health concern [1,8]
A total of 100,196 cattle were slaughtered during the overall study period, including 54,751 animals during the triennium 2010–2012, and 45,445 during the three-year period of 2017–2019
Summary
Zoonotic tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality in humans, and remains a cause of concern for livestock and wildlife worldwide [1,2,3].Disease in humans has reemerged in several ecological scenarios, and in 2016, the World HealthOrganization (WHO) estimated 147,000 new human cases and 12,500 deaths due to the disease, globally [4]. Disease in humans has reemerged in several ecological scenarios, and in 2016, the World Health. Data for zoonotic tuberculosis do not accurately reflect the true incidence of the disease [1], as M. bovis is rarely supposed to cause disease in humans and the commonly used diagnostic techniques do not allow identification of the pathogen at species level [2,5,6]. Mycobacterium bovis is a Gram-positive, acid-fast bacterium belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) [7], responsible for disease in cattle, commonly known as bovine tuberculosis (bTB), posing a risk for human infection and making the disease of public health concern [1,8]. The ingestion of unpasteurized milk from cows with mammary tuberculosis is the main route of transmission of infection to humans, resulting in the non-pulmonary form of the disease [8,14], while airborne transmission and contamination of skin wounds mainly occur in people working in close contact with diseased animals and/or contaminated animal products, including farmers, slaughterhouse workers, and veterinarians [8,14,15]
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