Molecular Based Epidemiology of Bovine Pulmonary Tuberculosis – a
Mortal Foe
Fazal Mahmood*, Ahrar Khan, Riaz Hussain1
and Imtiaz Ahmad Khan2
Department of Pathology, University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad; 1University College of
Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of
Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur;2Department of Pathobiology,
PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi,
Pakistan *Corresponding author:fazalmahkhan@yahoo.com
Abstract
Some epidemiological aspects and pathological
alterations particularly blood filled cysts in liver tissue (peliosis hepatis)
in association with chronic pulmonarytuberculosis in cross bred cowswere evaluated. Animals were screened through single comparative cervical
intradermal tuberculin (SCCIT) test. The results revealed 7.47% prevalence of
bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in animals. The frequency analysis on certain
epidemiological aspects revealed that the prevalence of disease was
non-significantly different with age, sex and lactating status of animals.
Necropsy revealed multiple tubercles of variable size throughout the lungs.
Trachea and bronchial tree was extensively plugged with thick yellow ropy
purulent exudates. Microscopically lungs exhibited characteristic cluster of
small and large size miliary nodules with caseated center and lamellar
arrangement of dystrophic mineralization surrounded by multinucleated giant
cells, epithelioid macrophages, plasma cells, lymphocytes and fibrous
proliferation. Lung tissues stained with Ziehl-Neelsen expressed masses of
slender acid-fast bacilli in the necrotic centers of lesions. Moreover, in liver
sections angiomatoid cysts (peliosis hepatis) lined with hepatocytes were
extensively observed. The infectious agent (Mycobacterium bovis) was confirmed using PCR. It was concluded that
histopathological observations such as peliosis hepatis are useful information
for the differential diagnosis of acute verses chronic process of bovine
tuberculosis.