Case Of Bovine Tuberculosis Research Articles

Bovine Tuberculosis in young heifer

A rare case of bovine tuberculosis in young heifer is reported. Miss diagnosed in several occasions due to lack of diagnostic tools. However; post-mortem lesion diagnosis is paramount. This case may pose public health concern to the farmer and his family.

A rare case of bovine tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis in a domestic rabbit

A rare case of bovine tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis in a domestic rabbit

Panorama 2019-1: Bovine tuberculosis in Western Canada (2016): case response overview

In September 2016, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency responded to a case of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) detected in a mature beef cow from a cow-calf operation in Alberta, Canada. Due to potential exposure of numerous cattle herds, a large-scale investigation ensued to identify other potentially infected animals. When complete, the investigation identified a single infected herd. Six cows within the herd had tuberculosis lesions, with laboratory identification of Mycobacterium bovis. Given the outcome of the case response, Alberta continues to be recognised as being free from bTB. The bTB-free status of all other Canadian provinces also remains in place.

A case of bovine tuberculosis in pigs in Poland - a country free from the disease.

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic contagious disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium caprae. Before widespread action conducted in Poland between 1959-1975 to combat bovine tuberculosis (BTB), about 40% of all tuberculosis cases in pigs was caused by the bovine bacillus. At the present time, correctly carried out, long-term control of cattle has resulted in cases of bovine tuberculosis in pigs and humans being extremely rare and sporadic. In pigs, tuberculosis is most often caught in a slaughterhouse during slaughter. Samples came from pigs kept on the farm. Traditional bacteriological methods on solid media (Stonebrink, LJ with pyruvate) supported by the semi-automatic, liquid indicative culture method (MGIT) and PCR test were applied in targeted studies. The GenoType Mycobacterium MTBC and CM tests (Hain Lifescience, Germany) were used to additionally confirm that isolated strains classification was used. Strains of mycobacteria were isolated from all examined pigs. Mycobacterium bovis was determined by real time PCR and Hain Genotype methods. In order to effectively fight against BTB, all animals on farms should be tested, regardless of species, while the milk of suspected cows should be utilized without being used for feed. It is important to adapt the current legal regulations to the current epidemiological situation.

Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis infection in a captive-bred American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeiana)

BackgroundTuberculosis is widely known as a progressive disease that affects endothermic animals, leading to death and/or economical losses, while mycobacterial infections in amphibians are commonly due to nontuberculous mycobacteria. To the authors’ knowledge, this report describes the first case of bovine tuberculosis in a poikilothermic animal.Case presentationAn adult female captive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus Shaw, 1802) died in a Brazilian aquarium. Multiple granulomas with acid-fast bacilli were observed in several organs. Identification of Mycobacterium bovis was accomplished by culture and PCR methods. The other animals from the same enclosure were euthanized, but no evidence of mycobacterial infection was observed.ConclusionsThe American bullfrog was introduced in several countries around the world as an alternative husbandry, and its production is purposed for zoological and aquarium collections, biomedical research, education, human consumption and pet market. The present report warns about an episode of bovine tuberculosis in an amphibian, therefore further studies are necessary to define this frog species’ role in the epidemiology of M. bovis.

Hallazgos anatomopatologicos en un bovino infectado con tuberculosis en Vicosa, Brasil

Se reportó un caso de tuberculosis bovina en una hembra Holstein de aproximadamente 350kg de peso, la cual fue necropsiada por el servicio de patología animal de la facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia de la Universidad de Viçosa, Brasil. El propietario reporta emaciación progresiva, debido al pésimo estado de salud se decidió sacrificar el animal y posteriormente se trasladó al área de patología donde fue realizada la necropsia. Se evidencio pelaje hirsuto, mucosas pálidas y marcada caquexia a la inspección externa del cadáver, los hallazgos anatomopatológicas en la necropsia revelaron importantes lesiones como: áreas caseificadas nodulares en músculos en la región intercostal, pleura, pulmón, hígado y ganglios linfáticos pre-escapulares. El diagnóstico definitivo del cadáver fue tuberculosis bovina.

From contradiction to contrast in a countryside conflict: Using Q Methodology to reveal a diplomatic space for doing TB differently

Environmental conflicts are often framed by an assumption that there are clear divisions between interested parties. As a result, there is a tendency to polarise debates, simplify arguments and miss opportunities for constructive engagement. While these conflicts are rarely amenable to resolution through direct dialogue, diplomacy may offer a means to generate possible political settlements. In this paper, we seek to identify the scope for such diplomacy in the seemingly entrenched conflict that surrounds the case of bovine tuberculosis and badger culling in England. First, we use Q methodological techniques to map prevailing views among concerned publics about this highly contentious and apparently intractable issue. Second, we combine this method with diplomatic theory in order to identify areas in which diplomatic modes of engagement may be constructive. Our results show that there are predictable conflictual elements within two positions organised around opposition to, and support for, the culling of badgers. These positions, which we label ‘ethical empiricist’ and ‘nostalgic autonomist’, respectively, are not always straightforwardly oppositional. Their points of contact, as well as intersections with a third, alternative, subject position, which we label ‘liberal pragmatist’, suggest starting-points for diplomacy.

The Added-Value of Using Participatory Approaches to Assess the Acceptability of Surveillance Systems: The Case of Bovine Tuberculosis in Belgium.

Context and ObjectiveBovine tuberculosis (bTB) surveillance in Belgium is essential to maintain the officially free status and to preserve animal and public health. An evaluation of the system is thus needed to ascertain the surveillance provides a precise description of the current situation in the country. The evaluation should assess stakeholders’ perceptions and expectations about the system due to the fact that the acceptability has an influence on the levels of sensitivity and timeliness of the surveillance system. The objective of the study was to assess the acceptability of the bTB surveillance in Belgium, using participatory tools and the OASIS flash tool (‘analysis tool for surveillance systems’).MethodsFor the participatory process, focus group discussions and individual interviews were implemented with representatives involved with the system, both from cattle and wildlife part of the surveillance. Three main tools were used: (i) relational diagrams associated with smileys, (ii) flow diagrams associated with proportional piling, and (iii) impact diagrams associated with proportional piling. A total of six criteria were assessed, among which five were scored on a scale from -1 to +1. For the OASIS flash tool, one full day meeting with representatives from stakeholders involved with the surveillance was organised. A total of 19 criteria linked to acceptability were scored on a scale from 0 to 3.Results and ConclusionBoth methods highlighted a medium acceptability of the bTB surveillance. The main elements having a negative influence were the consequences of official notification of a bTB suspect case in a farm, the low remuneration paid to private veterinarians for execution of intradermal tuberculin tests and the practical difficulties about the containment of the animals. Based on the two evaluation processes, relevant recommendations to improve the surveillance were made. Based on the comparison between the two evaluation processes, the added value of the participatory approach was highlighted.

Exploring the social context of risk perception and behaviour: Farmers’ response to bovine tuberculosis

While agricultural risk and risk perception has received significant attention in the literature, few studies have explored the factors that influence the way farmers respond to particular risks. This paper uses the case of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), one of the most significant risks currently facing the English cattle farming industry, to explore these factors, with a particular focus on the role of social networks. A large scale postal survey distributed to beef and dairy farmers in the south west of England provides representative data which are subjected to factor and cluster analysis in order explore farmer views towards and responses to disease risk. Two groups of farmers are identified which can be distinguished from each other based on their attitudes towards bTB and the nature of their social networks. Farmers with wider, more externally focussed social networks are found to be more resilient than those whose social networks are restricted to family members and other farmers. However, while differences between the two groups are found in terms of their attitudes towards bTB, no differences are found in relation to their risk management behaviour, with few farmers taking clear action to reduce the risk of their herds contracting the disease. In order to address the identified disconnection between attitudes and behaviour, a number of potential interventions are put forward and discussed.

Relational distance, neoliberalism and the regulation of animal health

Using quantitative and qualitative data, this paper contributes to debates on the uneven geographies of neoliberal animal disease regulation. Specifically, the paper analyses the impacts of neoliberal reforms to animal disease regulation in Great Britain. Focussing on the case of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), the paper analyses how changes to ‘relational distance’ in animal disease regulation have led to closer relationships between regulators (veterinarians) and regulatees (farmers) which in turn has led to a departure from standardised disease regulation to approaches that emphasise greater flexibility and judgement. The paper presents quantitative analysis of bTB testing data revealing the gradual erosion of government control of bTB regulation and significant variations in disease diagnosis between vets in the private and public sectors. Drawing on interviews with senior veterinarians in Government and veterinary organisations, the paper shows how these regulatory structures evolved and came to be accepted despite their limitations. The paper concludes by considering how relational distance contributes to an understanding of the nature of disease and its implications for the wider regulation of animal disease.

Impact of imperfect test sensitivity on determining risk factors: the case of bovine tuberculosis.

BackgroundImperfect diagnostic testing reduces the power to detect significant predictors in classical cross-sectional studies. Assuming that the misclassification in diagnosis is random this can be dealt with by increasing the sample size of a study. However, the effects of imperfect tests in longitudinal data analyses are not as straightforward to anticipate, especially if the outcome of the test influences behaviour. The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of imperfect test sensitivity on the determination of predictor variables in a longitudinal study.Methodology/Principal FindingsTo deal with imperfect test sensitivity affecting the response variable, we transformed the observed response variable into a set of possible temporal patterns of true disease status, whose prior probability was a function of the test sensitivity. We fitted a Bayesian discrete time survival model using an MCMC algorithm that treats the true response patterns as unknown parameters in the model. We applied our approach to epidemiological data of bovine tuberculosis outbreaks in England and investigated the effect of reduced test sensitivity in the determination of risk factors for the disease. We found that reduced test sensitivity led to changes to the collection of risk factors associated with the probability of an outbreak that were chosen in the ‘best’ model and to an increase in the uncertainty surrounding the parameter estimates for a model with a fixed set of risk factors that were associated with the response variable.Conclusions/SignificanceWe propose a novel algorithm to fit discrete survival models for longitudinal data where values of the response variable are uncertain. When analysing longitudinal data, uncertainty surrounding the response variable will affect the significance of the predictors and should therefore be accounted for either at the design stage by increasing the sample size or at the post analysis stage by conducting appropriate sensitivity analyses.

Biosecurity, Expertise and the Institutional Void: The Case of Bovine Tuberculosis

AbstractThis article explores the links between biosecurity policy and rural differentiation. It attempts to show how biosecurity policy has been fundamentally affected by uncertainty over the rules of the game of policy‐making – what Hajer has called the ‘institutional void’. In particular, the article attempts to show how this void has created a new political space in which the traditional practices of dealing with animal disease have been challenged and reshaped. Crucial to this is a discourse of partnership that permits new actors and forms of expertise to construct different approaches to biosecurity at new spatial scales. These actions legitimate a new spatiality of disease control, thereby contributing to the differentiation of the countryside. The article uses a case‐study of policy attempts to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis in England and Wales.

The Economics of Managing Infectious Wildlife Disease

AbstractWe use a two‐state linear control model to examine the socially optimal management of disease in a valuable wildlife population when diseased animals cannot be harvested selectively. The two control variables are nonselective harvests and supplemental feeding of wildlife, where feeding increases both in situ productivity and disease prevalence. We derive a double singular solution which depends on the initial state and does not require bang‐bang controls. The case of bovine tuberculosis among Michigan white‐tailed deer is analyzed. In the base model, the disease is optimally maintained at low levels, with intermittent investments (via feeding) in deer productivity.

Cattle movements and bovine tuberculosis in Great Britain

For 20 years, bovine tuberculosis (BTB) has been spreading in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) and is now endemic in the southwest and parts of central England and in southwest Wales, and occurs sporadically elsewhere. Although its transmission pathways remain poorly understood, the disease's distribution was previously modelled statistically by using environmental variables and measures of their seasonality. Movements of infected animals have long been considered a critical factor in the spread of livestock diseases, as reflected in strict import/export regulations, the extensive movement restrictions imposed during the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, the tracing procedures after a new case of BTB has been confirmed and the Government's recently published strategic framework for the sustainable control on BTB. Since January 2001 it has been mandatory for stock-keepers in Great Britain to notify the British Cattle Movement Service of all cattle births, movements and deaths. Here we show that movements as recorded in the Cattle Tracing System data archive, and particularly those from areas where BTB is reported, consistently outperform environmental, topographic and other anthropogenic variables as the main predictor of disease occurrence. Simulation distribution models for 2002 and 2003, incorporating all predictor categories, are presented and used to project distributions for 2004 and 2005.

A case of bovine tuberculosis in fallow deer.

A case of bovine tuberculosis in fallow deer.

TUBERCULOSIS OF A PUMA CUB (FELIS CONCOLOR) ACCOMPANIED BY SKELETAL DEFORMITIES RESEMBLING RICKETS

SUMMARY A case of bovine tuberculosis is described in a ten month old captive puma which was born at Whipsnade Zoo. The organs affected were the liver, kidneys, and left adrenal gland. The disease was associated with severe symptoms of rickets which are supposed to have been secondary to tuberculosis of the kidneys. It was thus a case of osteodystrophia fibrosa of renal origin.