Mycobacterium bovis

Mycobacterium bovis (Bovine Tuberculosis)

Mycobacterium bovis is the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), a chronic granulomatous disease affecting cattle and various wildlife species. It poses a significant zoonotic risk and has substantial implications for public health, trade, and farm management.

qPCR testing detects M. bovis DNA with high specificity from:

• Lymph node or lung tissue samples collected post-mortem
• Milk samples in suspect dairy cases
• Environmental swabs from suspected contaminated housing or equipment

This method provides faster turnaround than traditional culture, which can take weeks, and is useful for:

• Confirming lesions found at abattoir or on-farm necropsy
• Rapid herd screening following tuberculin test reactors
• Monitoring wildlife or environmental reservoirs in endemic areas

Early and accurate detection supports effective isolation, culling decisions, and disease control strategies in collaboration with regulatory authorities.