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Bovine tuberculosis: clinical update and on‐farm advice
Author(s) -
Cobner Andrew
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inpract.25.10.606
Subject(s) - bovine spongiform encephalopathy , bovine tuberculosis , mycobacterium bovis , outbreak , herd , disease , tuberculosis , medicine , incidence (geometry) , foot and mouth disease , veterinary medicine , environmental health , virology , prion protein , mycobacterium tuberculosis , pathology , physics , optics
IN the wake of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks, bovine tuberculosis (TB) is now generally perceived to represent the greatest threat to cattle health in the UK. The incidence of bovine TB is rising, both in terms of the number of herds affected and in the number of cases per affected herd. Bovine TB is caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is characterised by the progressive development of granulomatous lesions (tubercles) in any body organ and can affect a large number of species, including humans. This article discusses how bovine TB is transmitted and diagnosed in cattle, and suggests some protocols for disease prevention and control.