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Bovine tuberculosis in free-ranging carnivores from Michigan
C S Bruning-Fann1, S M Schmitt, S D Fitzgerald
1Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA. colleen.s.bruning-fann@usda.gov
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
|March 29, 2001
Summary
Mycobacterium bovis, a cause of bovine tuberculosis, was found in Michigan carnivores like coyotes and raccoons. These animals likely contracted the disease from consuming infected white-tailed deer.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Wildlife Ecology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a significant zoonotic disease.
- Wildlife reservoirs can maintain and spread Mycobacterium bovis.
- Understanding BTB transmission in wildlife is crucial for control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify wildlife species infected with Mycobacterium bovis in Michigan.
- To investigate potential transmission routes of M. bovis in free-ranging animals.
- To assess the role of carnivores and omnivores in BTB epidemiology.
Main Methods:
- Culture of Mycobacterium bovis from lymph node samples of surveyed animals.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex organisms.
- Geographic mapping of infected animals and known BTB endemic areas.
Main Results:
- Mycobacterium bovis was cultured from coyotes, raccoons, red foxes, and a black bear.
- A bobcat tested positive for M. bovis complex via PCR despite negative culture.
- Infections were concentrated in three Michigan counties with endemic M. bovis in white-tailed deer.
Conclusions:
- Free-ranging carnivores and omnivores in Michigan are susceptible to Mycobacterium bovis.
- Consumption of tuberculous white-tailed deer is a probable infection source for these wildlife species.
- Carnivores and omnivores may play a role in the enzootic cycle of bovine tuberculosis.
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