Molecular Epidemiology of M. bovis in Humans and Other Hosts in Africa

Although M. bovis mainly infects ungulates, it is known to infect other homoeothermic animals (Cosivi et al. 1995, 1998). In humans, it causes zoonotic tuberculosis that affects an estimated 70,000 people every year in Africa (Muller et al.

In Southern Africa, wildlife plays an increasing role in the epidemiology of BTB (Figs. 8.18 and 8.19). Lions are the most important nonungulate in South Africa infected by M. bovis. They contract the infection primarily from infected prey species such as African buffaloes, as evidenced by the shared M. bovis genotypes with buffaloes (Michel et al. 2008). The role of wild suids such as warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) and bush pigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) in the epidemi­ology of BTB is still unknown, but it is believed to be potentially important, as they move more freely between farmed land and game reserves than most ungulates (Hlavsa et al. 2008). In Eastern Africa, especially in Ethiopia, camels may play a role in their BTB epidemiology. However, the molecular markers isolated from camels, there have not yet been detected in the cattle populations, and camels could thus have an independent disease dynamic.

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