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Mycobacterium caprae in cattle and humans in Croatia
Z Cvetnic1, V Katalinic-Jankovic, B Sostaric
1Croatian Veterinary Institute Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. cvetnic@veinst.hr
Summary
Mycobacterium caprae caused a tuberculosis outbreak in a Croatian family and their cattle. Raw milk consumption was the suspected transmission route, highlighting M. caprae
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant zoonotic disease.
- Mycobacterium caprae is an emerging cause of TB in cattle and humans.
Observation:
- A 13-year-old boy presented with cervical lymphadenopathy due to M. caprae.
- His sister showed subclinical TB signs, and several farm cattle were PPD-positive.
- M. caprae was isolated from both the boy and the cattle herd.
Findings:
- This study documents the first human M. caprae infections in Croatia.
- M. caprae was confirmed as the causative agent in a family and their dairy cattle.
- A high prevalence of M. caprae was observed in the affected cattle herd.
Implications:
- Consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk products from infected cattle is a likely source of human M. caprae transmission.
- This highlights the importance of dairy product safety and zoonotic TB surveillance.
- Findings underscore the dominance of M. caprae in Croatian cattle and its public health relevance.
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