Mycobacterium bovis as the Agent of Human Tuberculosis: Public Health Implications 25
This will improve our ability to diagnose TB
cases caused by M. bovis, particularly in poor or
rural communities who are unaware of the risks
of contracting zoonotic TB from unpasteurized
dairy products and contaminated meat.
Given the available evidence, M. bovis can-
not continue to be neglected as a cause of zoo-
notic TB. The key first steps in addressing
zoonotic TB are: (i) governments must acknowl-
edge M. bovis in official national policies as a
source of TB warranting attention; (ii) knowl-
edge, attitudes and practices of both healthcare
providers and communities at risk must be bet-
ter understood in order to identify gaps and
develop appropriate interventions; and (iii) exist-
ing laboratory methods that differentiate
M. bovis from M. tuberculosis should be more
widely implemented. With these first steps, the
world will be closer to the goal of ending suffer-
ing from TB, no matter what its source. Ulti-
mately, the prevention and control of M. bovis
infection and bovine TB in cattle (and other ani-
mal species) by the veterinary sector is crucial to
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