Pet cats infect two people with TB

[Terpe]

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73853000/jpg/_73853275_cat_unhappy.jpg

Two people in England have developed tuberculosis after contact with a domestic cat, Public Health England has announced.

The two human cases are linked to nine cases of Mycobacterium bovis infection in cats in Berkshire and Hampshire last year.

Both people were responding to treatment, PHE said.

It said the risk of cat-to-human transmission of M. bovis remained "very low".

M. bovis is the bacterium that causes tuberculosis in cattle, known as bovine TB, and other species.

Transmission of M. bovis from infected animals to humans can occur by breathing in or ingesting bacteria shed by the animal or through contamination of unprotected cuts in the skin while handling infected animals or their carcasses.

Screening tests

The nine cases of M. bovis infection in cats in Berkshire and Hampshire were investigated by PHE and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) during 2013.

The findings of the investigation are published in the Veterinary Record on Thursday.

Read more here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26766006)

[Doc Alan]

I guess these cases of cat-to-human transmission are in the news because they are the first to be documented. The vet practice actually diagnosed the nine cases in domestic cats over a year ago. The cats belonged to different households. Six have died ( or been “ euthanased “ ) and three are responding to treatment, as are the two humans. It’s not clear how the cats became infected.

We do know that occasional cases of TB in pets, even fish, occur. Cats, also dogs, and humans are in fact relatively resistant ( compared wth other animals and birds ) to TB infection. Vaccinating or culling badgers to attempt reduction of TB in cattle is a separate topic !


As the BBC article points out, these two unusual cases need to be put in perspective.

The real issue of human TB is that which is transmitted between humans, not animals. There are around 8,500 cases each year in the UK ( mostly affecting lungs and ¾ non-UK born ); far more in the Philippines ( hence pre-entry testing ) ; and about 9 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths, each year in the world.

Prevention ( better vaccines than BCG ); faster diagnosis ; drug resistance and treatment costs are by far the biggest priorities.



http://filipinaroses.com/showthread.php/31919-TB-curable-but-a-long-way-to-go



http://filipinaroses.com/showthread.php/46830-Views-on-the-Badger-Culling-Pilot?highlight=badger+TB
( # 20 )



http://filipinaroses.com/showthread.php/51096-The-Government-Need-Shooting-Not-The-Badgers?highlight=badger+TB