Skip to main content
PMC home page
Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1992 Aug;109(1):23–33.

Mycobacterium bovis in England and Wales: past, present and future.

R M Hardie 1, J M Watson 1
PMCID: PMC2272235  PMID: 1499671

Abstract

This report reviews the literature concerning tuberculosis resulting from infection with Mycobacterium bovis in man and cattle and summarises data derived from surveillance of M. bovis in England and Wales from 1986 to 1990. Of the 228 isolates of M. bovis examined in this period, 122 (53%) were from patients aged over 60 years and are largely the result of reactivation of infection acquired prior to the institution of control measures. However, eight isolates (3.5%) were from patients aged less than 30 years. The potential sources for these presumed primary infections include the few remaining cattle infected with M. bovis or infectious human cases in the United Kingdom. However, infections acquired abroad, especially in immigrants, may account for some of these cases. Outbreaks of tuberculosis due to M. bovis continue to occur in cattle. Wild animals, particularly badgers, have been implicated as reservoirs of the infection. However, man may also prove to be an important reservoir of M. bovis for cattle as well as humans.

Full text

PDF
23

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Collins C. H., Grange J. M. The bovine tubercle bacillus. J Appl Bacteriol. 1983 Aug;55(1):13–29. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1983.tb02643.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Collins C. H., Yates M. D., Grange J. M. A study of bovine strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from humans in South-East England, 1977-1979. Tubercle. 1981 Jun;62(2):113–116. doi: 10.1016/0041-3879(81)90018-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Collins C. H., Yates M. D., Grange J. M. Subdivision of Mycobacterium tuberculosis into five variants for epidemiological purposes: methods and nomenclature. J Hyg (Lond) 1982 Oct;89(2):235–242. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400070765. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cutbill L. J., Lynn A. Pulmonary Tuberculosis of Bovine Origin. Br Med J. 1944 Feb 26;1(4338):283–285. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4338.283. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fanning A., Edwards S. Mycobacterium bovis infection in human beings in contact with elk (Cervus elaphus) in Alberta, Canada. Lancet. 1991 Nov 16;338(8777):1253–1255. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(91)92113-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. GEORGE J. T., PAYNE D. J. Tuberculosis from T.T. milk, with a note on the frequency of Brucella abortus in consumer milk. Mon Bull Minist Health Public Health Lab Serv. 1961 May;20:99–102. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Grange J. M., Collins C. H. Bovine tubercle bacilli and disease in animals and man. Epidemiol Infect. 1987 Oct;99(2):221–234. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800067686. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Grange J. M., Yates M. D. Incidence and nature of human tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium africanum in South-East England: 1977-87. Epidemiol Infect. 1989 Aug;103(1):127–132. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800030429. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kubin M., Heralt Z., Morongová I., Ruzhová R., Viznerová A. Zwei Fälle der wahrscheinlichen interhumanen Ubertragung von Mycobacterium bovis. Z Erkr Atmungsorgane. 1984;163(3):285–291. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LETHEM W. A. Milk-borne tuberculosis, 1921 to 1953. Mon Bull Minist Health Public Health Lab Serv. 1955 Sep;14:144–145. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lesslie I. W. Cross infections with mycobacteria between animals and man. Bull Int Union Tuberc. 1968 Dec;41:285–288. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lesslie I. W., Magnus K., Stewart C. J. The prevalence of bovine type tuberculous infection in man in the English rural population. Tubercle. 1972 Sep;53(3):198–204. doi: 10.1016/0041-3879(72)90016-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mahmood K. H., Rook G. A., Stanford J. L., Stuart F. A., Pritchard D. G. The immunological consequences of challenge with bovine tubercle bacilli in badgers (Meles meles). Epidemiol Infect. 1987 Apr;98(2):155–163. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800061860. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. SAVAGE W. Milk-borne infections in Great Britain. Br J Soc Med. 1949 Apr;3(2):45–55. doi: 10.1136/jech.3.2.45. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sjögren I., Sutherland I. Studies of tuberculosis in man in relation to infection in cattle. Tubercle. 1975 Jun;56(2):113–127. doi: 10.1016/0041-3879(75)90022-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Wilkins E. G., Griffiths R. J., Roberts C. Bovine variants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated in Liverpool during the period 1969 to 1983: an epidemiological survey. Q J Med. 1986 Jun;59(230):627–635. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Yates M. D., Grange J. M. Incidence and nature of human tuberculosis due to bovine tubercle bacilli in South-East England: 1977-1987. Epidemiol Infect. 1988 Oct;101(2):225–229. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800054133. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Epidemiology and Infection are provided here courtesy of Cambridge University Press

RESOURCES