Pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Beijing strain) infection in a stray dog

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in dogs is rarely reported and has not previously been documented in South Africa. A case of a stray Maltese crossbreed dog with extensive multifocal pulmonary tuberculosis due to M. tuberculosis is described. Pulmonary granulomas in this case were poorly encapsulated and contained large numbers of acid-fast bacteria, highlighting the potential for infected companion animals to excrete the pathogen. Treatment of canine tuberculosis is generally not advised, and for this reason, euthanasia of diseased animals must be advocated in most instances. Physicians and veterinarians must be aware that companion animals with active disease caused by M. tuberculosis could act as a potential source of infection.     

Tuberculosis in alpaca (Lama pacos) on a farm in Ireland. 1. A clinical report

This case report describes tuberculosis (TB) due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) in alpaca (Lama pacos) on a farm in Ireland. Two severely debilitated alpaca were presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, University College Dublin in November 2004. Bloods were taken, and haematology and biochemistry results were indicative of chronic infection. Radiological examination showed evidence of diffuse granulomatous pneumonia suggestive of tuberculosis. On necropsy there were granulomatous lesions present throughout many body organs including lung, liver, kidney, intestine as well on peritoneum and mesentery. Culture of acid-fast bacilli from lesions led to a diagnosis of tuberculosis due to M. bovis. The use of intradermal skin testing proved inefficient and unreliable for ante mortem diagnosis of tuberculosis in alpaca. Infection due to M. bovis should be considered among the differential diagnoses of debilitating diseases in alpaca, particularly those farmed in areas known to be traditional black spots for tuberculosis in cattle.     

Tuberculosis in a kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)

Generalised tuberculosis was found in a captive kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) at autopsy. Sequential faecal sampling of the other kiwis and falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae) held in the aviary revealed an excretor of Mycobacterium avium.     

Possible human-avian transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a green-winged macaw (Ara chloroptera)

This report describes a case of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a green-winged macaw (Ara chloroptera), confirmed by microbiologic and pathologic diagnostics, and notes a possible human-avian transmission. Clinical signs included cutaneous swellings, profound leukocytosis, and signs of osteomyelitis in the long bones. Proliferation consisted of several nodules with small greenish-caseous foci in cross-section and revealed a severe granulomatous inflammation with intralesional acid-fast rods. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from subcutaneous nodules and biochemically confirmed. The disease in avian species is of zoonotic importance.     

Tuberculosis in a Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)

Generalised tuberculosis was found in a captive kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) at autopsy. Sequential faecal sampling of the other kiwis and falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae) held in the aviary revealed an excretor of Mycobacterium avium.     

Gross and microscopic lesions of naturally occurring tuberculosis in a captive herd of wapiti (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) in Colorado.

A Mycobacterium bovis-infected herd of captive wapiti (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) in Colorado was depopulated after lesions of bovine tuberculosis were confirmed in 8 of 10 tuberculin skin test reactors. Of the 43 animals > 1 year of age, 26 had gross lesions suggestive of tuberculosis, 24 had microscopic lesions of tuberculosis, and 23 had acid-fast bacilli associated with the lesions. Lungs and retropharyngeal lymph nodes were the most frequently affected sites. Most lesions grossly and microscopically resembled tuberculosis in cattle; however, some lesions resembled abscesses or ovine caseous lymphadenitis lesions. Special stains and immunohistochemical techniques labeled few to numerous mycobacteria associated with the lesions.     

Putative transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection from a human to a dog

A 3.5-year-old Yorkshire Terrier was evaluated for anorexia and vomiting; infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis was diagnosed by use of histology, bacteriologic culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay on various tissues. The dog was living with a human with an established M. tuberculosis infection. Findings were unique in that diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection was obtained via PCR techniques, and isolates from the owner and dog were matched via restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting. Dogs infected with M. tuberculosis from humans are most commonly infected via the respiratory tract. Clinical signs in dogs are variable and depend on the integrity of the immune system and the degree of dissemination. Diagnosis can often be obtained through histopathology and bacteriologic culture; additional diagnostic techniques are also available. Treatment of a dog with confirmed M. tuberculosis infection is controversial, and at least 6 months of multidrug treatment is required.     

Isolation of a Mycobacterium microti-like organism from a rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) in a Canadian zoo

A Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex organism was isolated from a zoo resident rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) imported into Canada from South Africa. The strain was identified biochemically as Mycobacterium microti. The spoligotype pattern obtained for this isolate was found to be rare. This represents the first report of isolation and spoligotyping of M. microti in North America.     

Cytomegalovirus infection among tuberculosis patients in a chest hospital in Nigeria

A serological study was carried out in Ibadan, Nigeria to determine the prevalence of inapparent infection with cytomegalovirus among tuberculosis patients and its relation to the epidemiology of the virus in this environment. A total of 360 sera from 161 tuberculosis patients, 89 patients other than tuberculosis and 110 healthy voluntary blood donors were examined for antibody to cytomegalovirus by the complement fixation test. One hundred and forty-one (87.6%) of the tuberculosis patients, 45 (50.6%) patients other than tuberculosis and 60 (54.6%) healthy blood donors had a complement fixing antibody to cytomegalovirus. Although the total prevalence (68.3%) of complement fixing antibody against cytomegalovirus in all the groups is high, it is higher among the tuberculosis patients than the other groups in the same environment. This shows that tuberculosis which is still a major health problem in Nigeria may be playing a significant role in the spread of cytomegalovirus in the country.     

Systemic AA-amyloidosis in a European wild boar (Sus scrofa) suffering from generalized tuberculosis

Summary An adult female wild boar (Sus scrofa) was found moribund in Cabaneros National Park (central Spain). The animal had a markedly emaciated carcass, with body weight of 25.9 kg. At necropsy, most of the parenchymatous organs had widespread variably sized granulomas. Generalized tuberculosis was confirmed by PCR detection of Mycobacterium bovis in the mandibular lymph node. Large amounts of a hyaline, pale eosinophilic material were observed in liver, kidney and intestine. Congo red staining and green birefringence identified amyloid, which was further classified as AA type based on immunohistochemical results. It is speculated that the abundant serum amyloid A derivatives deposited in the tissues as AA-amyloid may be associated with the generalized tuberculosis. This is the first report of amyloidosis in the European wild boar.     

A complementary diagnosis of naturally occurring tuberculosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Rio de Janeiro using a MPB70-ELISA, Brazil

As tuberculosis is still a worldwide infection and buffalo breeding represents an important economic activity in various countries, the purpose of this study was to employ an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using MPB70 as a capture antigen for the diagnosis of naturally occurring tuberculosis in water buffaloes in Brazil. After the introduction of newly acquired cattle onto a tuberculosis (TB) free farm, an outbreak of TB was recorded in a mixed herd comprising water buffaloes (21) and cattle (46). The entire herd was tested by intradermal tuberculin injection (ITT) and positive animals were slaughtered and tested by culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and ELISA. From the 21 buffaloes sampled, three were reactive by ITT. All the three had positive culture and ELISA, while PCR was positive in two of them. Besides that, one ITT-negative buffalo was slaughtered and presented positive results by both culture and ELISA, and was considered as anergic. Although there were only few animals, those findings demonstrate the diagnostic usefulness of an MPB70-ELISA to correctly detect Mycobacterium bovis tuberculosis in water buffaloes.     

The prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) infections in feral populations of cats (Felis catus), ferrets (Mustela furo) and stoats (Mustela erminea) in Otago and Southland, New Zealand

Twenty-one properties in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand were surveyed for the presence of gross lesions due to Mycobacterium bovis infection in feral cats (Felis catus), ferrets (Mustela furo) and stoats (Mustela erminea) during 1993 and 1994. In total, 1293 cats, ferrets, stoats and weasels (Mustela nivalis) were examined for the presence of tuberculous lesions. The properties surveyed were selected according to the history and incidence of bovine tuberculosis infection in their cattle herds. Sixteen infected cattle properties were trapped in areas of Otago that were endemic for bovine tuberculosis and five properties were trapped in non-endemic areas that were considered to be free from tuberculosis infection in the cattle. No tuberculous cats, ferrets, stoats or weasels were found in non-endemic areas, and prevalence rates in the endemic areas were 0.9% for cats (n=215, 0.12相似文献   

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in dogs in a high-risk setting

Dogs infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis can develop clinical tuberculosis (TB) but there are currently no validated immunological assays for diagnosing this infection in this species. Using a post mortem survey we investigated the prevalence of non-clinical M. tuberculosis infection and clinical TB disease in a high-risk population of dogs and developed and utilised a novel interferon-gamma release assay to determine the risk of transmission of M. tuberculosis from TB patients to contact dogs. The prevalence of clinical TB in dogs from a high-risk setting was 1% (95% CI: 0-5%) while the prevalence of immunological sensitization to M. tuberculosis antigens in dogs living in contact with sputum smear-positive TB patients was 50%. The IGRA proved a useful test of M. tuberculosis infection in dogs and the high levels of transmission of this pathogen from humans to companion dogs should be considered when assessing the zoonotic risks associated with such animals.     

Tuberculosis in imported red deer (Cervus elaphus)

An outbreak of tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis in farmed red deer imported from an eastern European country is described. Twenty-six of the 106 deer examined at autopsy were found to be infected and 19 had visible lesions of tuberculosis. Single comparative intradermal tuberculin tests on 51 deer showed that the test had a specificity of 61.3 per cent and a sensitivity of 80 per cent relative to subsequent biological and cultural tests on tissues taken at autopsy. Three hundred and seventy eight culled fallow and sika deer which had been running in a park in contact with some of the infected animals were found to be free of tuberculosis.     

Rapid differentiation of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis based on a 12.7-kb fragment by a single tube multiplex-PCR

The aim of this work was the design and validation of a rapid and easy single tube multiplex-PCR (m-PCR) assay for the unequivocal differential detection of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Oligonucleotide primers were based on the uninterrupted 229-bp sequence in the M. bovis genome and a unique 12.7-kb insertion sequence from the M. tuberculosis genome, which is responsible for species-specific genomic polymorphism between these two closely related pathogens. The m-PCR assay was optimized and validated using 22 M. bovis and 36 M. tuberculosis clinical strains isolated from diverse host species and 9 other non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) strains. The designed primers invariably amplified a unique 168-bp (M. bovis-specific) and 337-bp (M. tuberculosis-specific) amplicon from M. bovis and M. tuberculosis strains, respectively. The accuracy of the assay, in terms of specificity, was 100%, as none of the NTM strains tested revealed any amplification product. As little as 20 pg of genomic DNA could be detected, justifying the sensitivity of the method. The m-PCR assay is an extremely useful, simple, reliable and rapid method for routine differential identification of cultures of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. This m-PCR may be a valuable diagnostic tool in areas of endemicity, where bovine and human tuberculosis coexist, and the distinction of M. bovis from M. tuberculosis is required for monitoring the spread of M. bovis to humans.     

北流市(县)奶牛结核病流行病学调查研究

为预防、控制和净化北流市奶牛结核病,采用提纯牛型结核菌素(PPD)皮内变态反应诊断,开展奶牛结核病流行学调查。结果表明,厩棚阴暗潮湿、通风不良,无露天运动场,长期圈养,久而容易引起机体抵抗力降低,诱发奶牛结核病,11个奶牛养殖户中,有6户因如此环境饲养被检测有结核阳性牛共14头;4个奶水牛养殖户共奶水牛360头无一感染结核病,表明奶水牛更能适应北流市自然环境和对结核病不易感。     

Accidental infection of veterinary personnel with Mycobacterium tuberculosis at necropsy: a case study

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the main cause of human tuberculosis. Infection in companion animals is mainly acquired from close contact to a diseased human patient and hence rarely diagnosed in countries with low tuberculosis incidence rates. Therefore the general awareness of the disease might be low. Here we report the potential risk of infection for veterinary personnel with M. tuberculosis during the clinical and pathological examination of a dog with unexpected disseminated tuberculosis. The dog had presented with symptoms of a central nervous system disease; rapid deterioration prevented a complete clinical workup, however. Post-mortem examination revealed systemic mycobacteriosis, and M. tuberculosis was identified by PCR amplification of DNA extracts from paraffin-embedded tissue sections and spoligotyping. Contact investigations among the owners and veterinary personnel using an IFN-γ release assay indicated that the index dog did not infect humans during its lifetime. Serological and IFN-γ release assay results of one of two cats in direct contact with the index dog, however, suggested that transmission of M. tuberculosis might have occurred. Importantly, all three pathologists performing the necropsy on the dog tested positive. Accidental infection was most likely due to inhalation of M. tuberculosis containing aerosols created by using an electric saw to open the brain cavity. As a consequence routine necropsy procedures have been adapted and a disease surveillance program, including tuberculosis, has been initiated. Our results highlight the importance of disease awareness and timely diagnosis of zoonotic infectious agents in optimizing work safety for veterinary personnel.     

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in a kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) from a commercial game farm in the Malelane area of the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, was diagnosed for the first time, in a kudu cow from a commercial game ranch in the Malelane area of the Mpumalanga Province close to the Kruger National Park. This diagnosis has important implications for the eradication of the disease in commercial and communal livestock in the area. Kudus are considered to be a potential maintenance host and, because of discharging fistulae in the parotid area where the lymph nodes are commonly infected, they have the potential of disseminating bacteria over wide areas. Cognisance should be taken of the presence of tuberculosis in a species other than domesticated cattle in this area and its implications for the control of tuberculosis in cattle.