Published in Scientific Works. Series C. Veterinary Medicine, Vol. LXXI, Issue 2
Written by Ralitsa RANKOVA, Gergana BALIEVA
Bovine tuberculosis is a bacterial infection in animals with chronic character, primarily caused by Mycobacterium bovis, and other members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. This disease is of significant zoonotic concern, with cattle serving as the primary source of infection for humans. In addition, M. bovis also affects a range of domesticated animals, including small ruminants, equines, swine, canines and felines. Furthermore, various wildlife species, such as wild boars, deer, and antelopes, can also be susceptible to this disease. This is a disease of international health and economic importance which is under the terms of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and thus is subjected to mandatory reporting to the WOAH. Although the implemented strict regulations, Bovine tuberculosis continues to be reported as a threat to public and animal health in many developing countries. In order to analyze the tendencies in the epidemic distribution and prevalence of Bovine tuberculosis in Europe we used data from the Animal Disease Information System (ADIS). The generated information on the outbreaks over a decade from 2013 to 2023, showed that 12 Member States and 2 other non-EU countries have declared cases of bovine tuberculosis. The total number of outbreaks detected has decreased dramatically over the years, as in 2013 and 2014 it was 211 and 136 respectively, and in 2022 and 2023 - 144 and 163. Comparing the data from 2013 and 2023, a decrease of about 23% in the registered outbreaks in the affected countries was observed.
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