Classification of worldwide bovine tuberculosis risk factors in cattle: a stratified approach

The worldwide status of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) as a zoonosis remains of great concern. This article reviews the main risk factors for bTB in cattle based on a three-level classification: animal, herd and region/country level. A distinction is also made, whenever possible, between situations in developed and developing countries as the difference of context might have consequences in terms of risk of bTB. Recommendations are suggested to animal health professionals and scientists directly involved in the control and prevention of bTB in cattle. The determination of Millenium Development Goals for bTB is proposed to improve the control/eradication of the disease worldwide

Lack of detection of Mycobacterium microti infection in wild rodents from a free-ranging wild boar outbreak area

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB. Departament d'Acció Climàtica, Agricultura i Agenda Rural de la Generalitat de Catalunya EFA357/INNOTUB (Program Interreg POCTEFA 2004-2020)Wild small rodents are considered the natural reservoirs of Mycobacterium microti, a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) that can cause tuberculosis (TB) in humans and animals, as well as interfere with current tuberculosis eradication plans in livestock. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Catalan Pyrenees (Iberian Peninsula) in an area where M. microti was previously isolated from wild boars, to evaluate the role of micromammals in the epidemiology of this outbreak. A total of 350 wild rodents were necropsied (306 Murinae and 44 Arvicolinae) in spring and autumn during two consecutive natural years. Tissues were analyzed by histopathology to look for TB-like lesions and by qPCR and culture to detect MTBC. Sera were analyzed by MTBC-specific ELISA. No evidence of TB infection in wild rodents was confirmed. Results suggest that small rodents did not play a role in the epidemiology of M. microti in the area. The source of this mycobacterium remains unknown, but previous detections of M. microti in various species in southern France suggest the movements of wild boars across the French Pyrenees as the most likely origin of the outbreak detected in the Iberian Peninsula

Diversity of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from animal samples

Limited data is available regarding the epidemiology of the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Romania, in both human and veterinary medicine. The objective of the present study was the identification and characterization of the Mycobacterium avium complex species isolated from backyard poultry and ruminant samples. The molecular identification and genotyping was performed in ANSES, Laboratory for Animal Health, Maisons-Alfort, France, by real time PCR, with a wide range of targets: hsp65, IS6110, IS1081, IS1245, IS901 and MIRU-VNTR. M. avium avium and M. avium paratuberculosis were the two species identified. Five different profiles were obtained through genotyping, four of which had corresponding INMV (INRA Nouzilly MIRU-VNTR) profiles: INMV 2, INMV 67, INMV 99 and INMV 100. The technique differentiated between the M. avium paratuberculosis isolated from sheep and cattle and expressed a high discriminatory power, proving to be extremely useful for assessing the genetic diversity of the tested animal origin samples and providing comparable information on the general structure and main pathogens belonging to MAC

Experimental Infection of Captive Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) with Mycobacterium bovis

[EN] In Europe, animal tuberculosis (TB) due to Mycobacterium bovis involves multi-host communities that include cattle and wildlife species, such as wild boar (Sus scrofa), badgers (Meles meles) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) infections have also been recently reported in some TB endemic regions in the Iberian Peninsula and France, with some of the infected animals shedding M. bovis in urine and feces. In order to understand the pathogenesis of M. bovis infection in foxes and the associated risk of transmission, 12 captive foxes (6 females and 6 males) were inoc-ulated orally with 2 × 107 colony-forming units of a French field isolate of M. bovis. Clinical samples (urine, feces and oropharyngeal swabs) were collected every four weeks and tested for molecular diagnosis and bacteriology. Serological responses were measured by IDEXX M. bovis Ab Test and Multi Antigen Print Immunoassay (MAPIA). At a post-mortem examination performed 12 weeks post infection (wpi), tissues were tested for the presence of M. bovis and associated gross and microscopic TB-like lesions. M. bovis was detected by PCR in bladder swabs of 3 animals at 12 wpi. It was also detected pre-mortem at different time points of the experiment in the oropharyngeal mu-cus of three individuals and in the feces of nine foxes, with two of them confirmed by bacteriology. All 12 foxes had at least 4 PCR positive samples (out of the 23 tested), and all but 1 fox had at least 1 culture positive sample. The culture negative fox was PCR positive in both retropharyngeal and mesenteric lymph nodes, in line with the results of the other animals. Seroconversion was observed in all foxes except one during the experiment, and in nine at the final time point. No gross visible lesions were found in any animal at the post-mortem examination. The histology showed small granulomas within the lymph nodes, tonsils, liver and lungs from eight animals, with the presence of few acid-fast bacilli. These results confirmed that all orally-infected foxes developed mild TB lesions but they were able to shed mycobacteria in about 75% of cases, 1 month post-infection (9 out 12 foxes). These results show that it is possible to induce typical TB infection experimentally in captive foxes, with measurable M. bovis excretion; such an experimental system could be useful for future evaluations of diagnostics and vaccines in this speciesSIThe French Ministry of Agriculture mainly financed the sampling and the analyses in the framework of the RFSA call on TB projects (Anses-DGAl credit agreement RFSA 2017-326). The animals and the running cost of the BSL3 facilities and technical resources were financed by the European Commission in the context of Horizon 2020?Vetbionet Transnational Access Activities (TNA) call. This work is also partially the result of the I+D+i research project RTI2018-096010-B-C21, funded by the Spanish MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ Ministry of Science, Innovation and the European Regional Development Funds (FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa), and of PCTI 2021? 2023 (GRUPIN: IDI2021-000102) funded by Principado de Asturias and FEDE

Infection of Wildlife by Mycobacterium bovis in France Assessment Through a National Surveillance System, Sylvatub

Mycobacterium bovis infection was first described in free-ranging wildlife in France in 2001, with subsequent detection in hunter-harvested ungulates and badgers in areas where outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis (TB) were also detected in cattle. Increasing concerns regarding TB in wildlife led the French General Directorate for Food (DGAL) and the main institutions involved in animal health and wildlife management, to establish a national surveillance system for TB in free-ranging wildlife. This surveillance system is known as “Sylvatub.” The system coordinates the activities of various national and local partners. The main goal of Sylvatub is to detect and monitor M. bovis infection in wildlife through a combination of passive and active surveillance protocols adapted to the estimated risk level in each area of the country. Event-base surveillance relies on M. bovis identification (molecular detection) (i) in gross lesions detected in hunter-harvested ungulates, (ii) in ungulates that are found dead or dying, and (iii) in road-killed badgers. Additional targeted surveillance in badgers, wild boars and red deer is implemented on samples from trapped or hunted animals in at-risk areas. With the exception of one unexplained case in a wild boar, M. bovis infection in free-living wildlife has always been detected in the vicinity of cattle TB outbreaks with the same genotype of the infectious M. bovis strains. Since 2012, M. bovis was actively monitored in these infected areas and detected mainly in badgers and wild boars with apparent infection rates of 4.57–5.14% and 2.37–3.04%, respectively depending of the diagnostic test used (culture or PCR), the period and according to areas. Sporadic infection has also been detected in red deer and roe deer. This surveillance has demonstrated that M. bovis infection, in different areas of France, involves a multi-host system including cattle and wildlife. However, infection rates are lower than those observed in badgers in the United Kingdom or in wild boars in Spain

Comprendre et gérer la tuberculose bovine : de l'étude génomique des souches de M.bovis circulant en France à la surveillance participative dans la faune sauvage

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Tuberculose bovine en France : son évolution décryptée par l’analyse génomique des souches de <em>Mycobacterium bovis</em>

National audienceMycobacterium bovis is the main etiological agent of bovine tuberculosis (TB). Due to collective measures applied to detect and cull infected herds and to protect TB-free ones, France obtained the TB-free status in 2001. However, this zoonosis at the animal-man interphase is still endemic in certain regions where wildlife is also affected. In this context, genotypic analyses of M. bovis strains isolated from multi-host systems demonstrated the complex nature of this disease. Reduction of TB prevalence was associated to a decrease of the genetic diversity of outbreaks’ causative strains. Nonetheless, dominant genotypes exist that persist and circulate among livestock and wildlife. Today, analyses of strains’ whole genomes, combined with classical epidemiological surveys, make it possible to refine the M. bovis evolution scenario and to understand if adaptation mechanisms or intensification of the bacterium pathogenic capacity can explain its current persistence and dissemination.Mycobacterium bovis est l’agent étiologique principal de la tuberculose bovine (TB). Grâce aux mesures collectives appliquées pour détecter, éliminer les élevages infectés et protéger les élevages sains, la France est devenue indemne de TB en 2001. Mais cette zoonose à l’interface entre l’animal et l’homme reste endémique dans certaines zones, où la faune sauvage est également affectée. Dans ce contexte, l’analyse génotypique des souches de M. bovis isolées des systèmes multi-hôtes a dévoilée la nature complexe de la maladie. La réduction de la prévalence de la TB s’est accompagnée d’une diminution de la diversité génétique des souches à l’origine des foyers. Pourtant, des génotypes dominants persistent et circulent à la fois dans les élevages et la faune sauvage. Aujourd’hui, l’analyse du génome complet des souches, combinée aux études épidémiologiques, peut nous permettre d’affiner le scénario évolutif de M. bovis et d’appréhender si des phénomènes d’adaptation ou d’augmentation de leur pouvoir pathogène peuvent expliquer leur persistance et dissémination

Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections of veterinary relevance

Mycobacteria play an important role in human and animal health fields. We here examine the place of non tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections in the veterinary context. Relevant aspects of a reference laboratory experience and a literature review are presented in this article. Importance is given both to productivity and to economic losses due to misdiagnosis with bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis. The impact NTM may have is relative to geographical location, ecology, husbandry, extent of surveillance programs and bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis prevalence. The role of the most relevant NTM in animal disease is summarized with a special focus on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, given its role as causative agent of paratuberculosis, a disease with huge economic consequences for ruminant livestock

The genomic structure of Brucella strains isolated from marine mammals gives clues to evolutionary history within the genus.

The genomic structure and the restriction maps were studied in 24 Brucella strains isolated from marine mammals. From SpeI restriction profiles, the strains could be ascribed to three clonal groups, each corresponding to a specific host. Cross contamination between exclusively terrestrial and exclusively marine hosts is unlikely suggesting the divergence of the different species of the genus Brucella which may have taken place 60 million years ago, concomitant with the radiation of their mammalian hosts (Artiodactyla) from other mammalian orders

First genomic data of <em>Mycobacterium bovis</em> strains isolated from animals in France

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