Zoonotic Tuberculosis Transmission and Control
Summary
Zoonotic tuberculosis arises when members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex that primarily infect animals spill over into human populations. The most common agent is Mycobacterium bovis, which circulates in cattle, wildlife and companion animals, whereas emerging pathogens such as Mycobacterium orygis extend the host range across diverse livestock and wildlife species. Transmission pathways include inhalation of aerosols from infected animals, direct contact with lesions or carcasses and consumption of unpasteurised dairy products. Control efforts hinge on a One Health framework that integrates human, animal and environmental health: routine surveillance and testing of livestock herds, pasteurisation of milk, abattoir hygiene measures, vaccination of cattle in high-burden regions and targeted public health education. Advances in diagnostic sensitivity, molecular epidemiology and immunological profiling underpin more effective prevention strategies. Globally, zoonotic tuberculosis remains under-recognised, particularly in regions where bovine tuberculosis control in cattle is inadequate, allowing persistent reservoirs that endanger human health and international trade. Concerted collaboration between veterinary services, public health agencies and research institutions is essential to reduce the burden of disease, inform risk-based surveillance and guide the deployment of novel vaccines and diagnostics.
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Zoonotic Tuberculosis Transmission and Control publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in zoonotic tuberculosis transmission and control across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Zoonotic tuberculosis: Human disease caused by Mycobacterium species primarily infecting animals.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC): A group of genetically related mycobacteria causing tuberculosis in humans and animals.
One Health: Integrated approach recognising interdependence of human, animal and environmental health.
Single Intradermal Tuberculin Test (SITT): Skin test to detect delayed-type hypersensitivity in cattle exposed to mycobacteria.
Recombinase-aided amplification–CRISPR-Cas13a lateral flow detection: Rapid molecular assay combining isothermal DNA amplification with CRISPR-mediated signal amplification on a dipstick.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS): Comprehensive determination of an organism’s entire DNA sequence used for high-resolution strain typing.
References
- Divergent proinflammatory immune responses associated with the differential susceptibility of cattle breeds to tuberculosis. Frontiers in Immunology (2023).
- High-Performance Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in Milk Using Recombinase-Aided Amplification–Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat–Cas13a–Lateral Flow Detection. Foods (2024).
- Whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics of Mycobacterium orygis isolated from different animal hosts to identify specific diagnostic markers. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (2023).
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