Prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis in some cattle breeds in the aids era: An abattoir survey in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Eight breeds of cattle totalling 15520 heads and comprising of 3784 bulls and 11736 cows were examined during slaughter in the two largest abattoirs in Ogun State, Nigeria between January and December, 2007. Samples of lung, liver, spleen, kidney, udder, skin and pleural lymph nodes with gross lesions suspected to be those of tuberculosis were obtained from the slaughtered animals. Each of the samples was processed according to the standard method and thereafter stained by Ziehl-Neelsen’s technique and was microscopically examined for acid fast organisms. Samples containing acid fast bacilli were cultured on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium with pyruvate or glycerol. M. bovis was identified by growth rate, pigment production, colony and cell morphology and biochemical characteristics. A total of 41 heads of cattle comprising of 9 bulls and 32 cows from 7 breeds were positive for M. bovis. No isolate of M. bovis was obtained from Keteku breed and no seasonal distribution of the organism was observed. Among the organs with lesions, the lung had the highest number (18) of M. bovis. The number of White Fulani cattle with M. bovis was highest (13) among the breeds examined.