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Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)2025; 14(5); 459; doi: 10.3390/pathogens14050459

Laboratory Diagnosis of Animal Tuberculosis in Tracing Interspecies Transmission of Mycobacterium bovis.

Abstract: is one of the most dangerous pathogens of both animals and humans. Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a disease caused by mycobacteria belonging to the complex (MTBC), which spreads mainly among domestic cattle but also to mammals other than cattle. The transmission of MTBC between different species requires research and epidemiological investigations to control its spread. When multiple species are a reservoir of infection, it poses a significant public health and veterinary concern. In this study, the diagnosis of alpaca, cattle, horses, dogs, a sheep and a cat from one farm suspected of bovine tuberculosis was performed. The animals (except for one horse, the dogs and the cat) were euthanised after the intradermal tuberculin tests. Mycobacterial isolation from animal tissue samples was performed. The obtained strains were genotyped using spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) methods. The isolates from a horse, two cows, a sheep and an alpaca were classified as () . The single spoligotype SB0666 pattern was isolated, and the MIRU-VNTR results presented the same 222632237401435 patterns. The molecular investigation uncovered information on the relationship of .
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Publication Date: 2025-05-07 PubMed ID: 40430779PubMed Central: PMC12114285DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14050459Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research involves a laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis in different animal species to study the transmission of Mycobacterium bovis, a pathogen that causes bovine tuberculosis.

Overview of Research

  • The study aimed to investigate the transmission of Mycobacterium bovis, a straigh that causes bovine tuberculosis among different animal species.
  • It points out that when many species act as a reservoir for this infection, it becomes a pressing problem both for public health and veterinary science.

Research Methodology

  • The research focused on diagnosing tuberculosis in different species including alpaca, cattle, horses, dogs, a sheep and a cat from a single farm suspected of bovine tuberculosis.
  • Most of the animals were euthanized after conducting intradermal tuberculin tests, except for one horse, the dogs, and the cat.
  • The researchers then isolated mycobacteria from tissue samples of these animals.

Genotyping and Classification

  • The strains of Mycobacteria obtained were genotyped using spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) methods.
  • From this analysis, the isolates from a horse, two cows, a sheep and an alpaca were classified as Mycobacterium bovis.

Findings

  • The researchers obtained a single spoligotype SB0666 pattern and same 222632237401435 patterns from the MIRU-VNTR results.
  • These molecular investigations shed valuable light on the potential for interspecies transmission of Mycobacterium bovis.

The results of this study underscore the essential need for more extensive research and appropriate epidemiological investigations to curb the spread of this pathogen. Understanding interspecies transmission can help develop better infection control strategies and improve public health and animal welfare.

Cite This Article

APA
Szacawa E, Kozieł N, Brzezińska S, Augustynowicz-Kopeć E, Weiner M, Szulowski K, Krajewska-Wędzina M. (2025). Laboratory Diagnosis of Animal Tuberculosis in Tracing Interspecies Transmission of Mycobacterium bovis. Pathogens, 14(5), 459. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14050459

Publication

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2076-0817
NlmUniqueID: 101596317
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 5
PII: 459

Researcher Affiliations

Szacawa, Ewelina
  • Department of Bacteriology and Bacterial Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Partyzantow 57, 24-100 Pulawy, Poland.
Kozieł, Nina
  • Department of Bacteriology and Bacterial Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Partyzantow 57, 24-100 Pulawy, Poland.
Brzezińska, Sylwia
  • Department of Microbiology, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute (NTLD), Plocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland.
Augustynowicz-Kopeć, Ewa
  • Department of Microbiology, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute (NTLD), Plocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland.
Weiner, Marcin
  • Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education, Sidorska 95/97, 21-500 Biala Podlaska, Poland.
Szulowski, Krzysztof
  • Department of Bacteriology and Bacterial Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Partyzantow 57, 24-100 Pulawy, Poland.
Krajewska-Wędzina, Monika
  • Sub-Department of Microbiology, Department of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 12, 20-033 Lublin, Poland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Mycobacterium bovis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium bovis / isolation & purification
  • Mycobacterium bovis / classification
  • Cattle
  • Tuberculosis / transmission
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis / veterinary
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology
  • Horses
  • Sheep
  • Dogs
  • Cats
  • Genotype
  • Tuberculosis, Bovine / transmission
  • Tuberculosis, Bovine / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Bovine / microbiology

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Gumbo R, Lourens T, Cooke DM, Kerr TJ, Warren RM, Miller MA, Ghielmetti G, Goosen WJ. Isolation of viable Mycobacterium bovis from faeces of naturally infected free-ranging rural domestic cattle (Bos taurus). J Appl Microbiol 2025 Nov 28;136(12).
    doi: 10.1093/jambio/lxaf281pubmed: 41231547google scholar: lookup
  2. Szacawa E, Radulski Ł, Weiner M, Szulowski K, Krajewska-Wędzina M. Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Infections in Animals: A Comprehensive Review of Species Distribution and Laboratory Diagnostic Methods. Pathogens 2025 Oct 4;14(10).
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