Bovine tuberculosis (Tuberculosis) is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases and can be transmitted to humans. The disease not only causes major economic losses in livestock production but also poses a public health risk, especially as dairy farming in Vietnam continues to develop. Learn more about its characteristics, mechanisms, and prevention methods with Vemedim to protect both livestock and people through the content below.
Causes of bovine tuberculosis
In Vietnam, bovine tuberculosis is commonly seen in imported cattle and some local herds, mainly caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis. This bacillus can cause disease not only in cattle but also spread to humans, pigs, dogs, cats, and some other animal species.
This bacillus is much more resistant than many common bacteria, although it is highly sensitive to ultraviolet rays and high temperatures. Therefore, barn hygiene directly affects the survival and spread of the pathogen. The pathogen can be present in many body fluids and secretions of animals, including nasal discharge, saliva, urine, semen or vaginal secretions, feces, reproductive organs, and more.
Tuberculosis in buffaloes and cattle is transmitted mainly through two routes: direct transmission from infected animals to healthy ones and indirect transmission through the environment or intermediaries. The bacteria enter the body mainly through the respiratory and digestive tracts. In calves, the digestive route is common: calves that drink milk from infected mothers or consume feed and water contaminated with the bacteria can become infected.
In addition, the disease can also spread through the placenta and reproductive secretions during breeding. After entering the body, the bacteria cause localized tuberculosis infection or spread to nearby lymph nodes, forming characteristic tuberculous inflammatory nodules. If resistance is poor, the pathogen will spread through the lymphatic and circulatory systems, causing damage to other organs in the body.
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Symptoms of tuberculosis in cattle
Symptoms of tuberculosis vary depending on the form of the disease and the stage of bacterial development. The incubation period is usually 2-4 weeks but can be longer. Specifically:
Pulmonary tuberculosis
This is the most common form, and affected cattle usually show the following symptoms:
- A dry cough at first, later becoming a wet, intermittent cough.
- Sputum is often mixed with blood or pus, but the animal usually swallows it back.
- The cattle become thin, with raised hair coat, poor appetite, fatigue, and difficulty breathing.
- When percussing and auscultating the lung area, moist rales or scattered lung sounds may be detected.
Lymph node tuberculosis
The disease often affects peripheral lymph nodes, causing firm, nodular swelling, commonly seen in the submandibular, prescapular, prefemoral, or mesenteric lymph nodes.
Mammary tuberculosis
This form appears in the udder and teats, causing deformity, irregular tuberculous nodules, and swelling of the mammary lymph nodes, leading to a marked decrease in milk production.
Digestive tuberculosis
It usually occurs in the intestines and liver, manifested by prolonged diarrhea, foul-smelling feces, progressive emaciation, along with mild bloating and digestive disorders.
Diagnosis and treatment of bovine tuberculosis
Because tuberculosis symptoms are nonspecific, diagnosis requires a combination of methods. In practice, the tuberculin test is used for mass screening of livestock. In addition, modern techniques such as ELISA, using the A60 antigen of Mycobacterium bovis, and PCR/POCKIT iiPCR help detect the bacteria more accurately, especially in large-scale farms.
Currently, there is no effective treatment for tuberculosis in buffaloes and cattle. When detected, infected animals must be culled immediately to prevent spread within the herd and the risk of transmission to humans.
Prevention of tuberculosis in buffaloes and cattle
Therefore, early diagnosis and prevention are the most important measures in managing tuberculosis on livestock farms. Tuberculosis prevention should be carried out through multiple coordinated measures:
Periodic testing:
- Female and male cattle: 2 times/year.
- Horses and donkeys: 1 time/year.
- Breeding pigs: 1 time/year.
Handling infected animals:
- Positive by POCKIT iiPCR: cull immediately.
- Positive by allergic reaction test: if symptomatic, cull; if asymptomatic, isolate and monitor closely.
- Quarantine new animals: 1 month and test before introducing them into the herd.
- Animal care: Keep barns warm in winter, cool in summer, and provide adequate, appropriate feeding and watering.
- Environmental hygiene: Disinfect barns regularly with Vemedim Altacid to reduce the survival of pathogens.
- For prevention, farm owners should administer Vemedim Kanamycin 20% - specifically for pneumonia, bronchitis, and pulmonary tuberculosis in buffaloes and cattle.
Farms should also regularly check the health of workers because tuberculosis can spread from cattle to humans and vice versa.
To limit bovine tuberculosis on the farm, livestock keepers need to strictly implement measures such as managing the barn environment and milk sources, quarantining purchased animals, and properly culling sick cattle according to regulations. When the above steps are systematically combined with accurate technical support, buffalo and cattle herds will be better protected against the risk of tuberculosis, and livestock keepers can feel more secure about productivity and quality. If you need further assistance, you can contact Vemedim for advice.
