Mycobacterium bovis

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Mycobacterium bovis is a slow-growing (16 to 20 hour generation time), aerobic bacterium and the causative agent of tuberculosis in cattle. Related to M. tuberculosis—the bacteria which causes tuberculosis in humans—M. bovis can also jump the species barrier and cause tuberculosis in humans.

Pathogenesis

It has been estimated that, during the first half of the 20th century, M. bovis was responsible for more losses among farm animals than all other infectious diseases combined. Infection occurs if the bacterium is ingested.

M. bovis is usually spread to humans via infected milk, although it too can spread via aerosol droplets. Humans are susceptible to this bacterium that causes bovine tuberculosis, but it is a rare cause of disease in humans. This is due to pasteurisation killing the bacteria in any infected milk. Cattle are also randomly tested for the disease and, if found to contain it, destroyed immediately.

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