Molecular detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in bovine blood samples

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), predominantly caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is one of the most neglected zoonotic diseases of cattle. The lack of documented information on bTB is one of the most important hurdles in controlling the disease. The present study was carried out to detect the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) from blood samples of cattle presented for slaughter, using polymerase chain reaction. The study revealed presence of MTBC in seven out of 50 animals (fourteen per cent) with symptoms suggestive of bTB. The detection of the organism emphasises the need of further prevalence studies in Kerala, to implement proper control strategies.