Mycobacterium bovis: an extraordinary pathogen

Abstract

Mycobacterium bovis, originally considered to be the precursor of human tuberculosis by ?crossing over? when man first began domesticating animals, is now considered at the opposite end of the evolutionary spectrum. M. bovis belongs in the M. tuberculosis complex, a group of organisms that has, until relatively recently, contained the established pathogens M. tuberculosis, M. africanum, M. bovis (and M. bovis BCG) and M. microti. M. tuberculosis and M. africanum primarily affect humans and M. microti is the main pathogen of voles. M. bovis is the causative organism of bovine tuberculosis, a well known zoonotic disease that can impact on human health, international trade and production. In fact, because of these factors, most developed countries have spent large sums of money attempting to eradicate or control bovine tuberculosis.