Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB): Detection of Mycobacterium bovis Infection with Specie-specific Primers in Sputum Samples in Pakistan

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable and chronic infection triggered by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is one amongst neglected zoonotic disease (NZD) caused by Mycobacterium bovis; has an economic importance with public health significance and life-threatening infection at the human-animal-ecosystem interface in low-resource settings and developing countries globally. Our study aimed to investigate the incidence of pulmonic tuberculosis caused by M. bovis in specific occupational groups; to study the socio-demographic conditions, awareness, level of knowledge and practices about tuberculosis; to investigate the molecular prevalence of bTB. Overall, 390 no of sputum samples collected as of 800-participants comprised of TB patients (100), livestock(L/S) farm employees(200), abattoir employees(174), butchers(294), veterinarian(10) and veterinary assistants(22). Two out of 100 TB patients (2/100), 3 out of 200 livestock farm workers (3/200) and 3 out of 23 abattoir workers (3/23) were found positive for the presence of M bovis through PCR technique. A significant association (p<0.05) was found between livestock farm workers and abattoir workers with the prevalence of zoonotic tuberculosis. The level of knowledge and awareness about the zoonotic bTB were very low and considered high-risk occupational groups of gaining zoonotic TB. Bovine tuberculosis is a main public health issue in different job-related groups in district Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The surveillance, prevention and control programs of this NZD in the KP province, Pakistan is necessary because of the continual unrestricted movement of the animals which might result in an increased spread of bTB to humans.