Articles: Press Release
Preliminary Tests Indicate Cattle TB Infection in Texas Dairy
Contact:
Texas Animal Health Commission
Box l2966 * Austin, Texas 78711 * (800) 550-8242 * FAX (512) 719-0719
Bob Hillman, DVM * Executive Director
For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242,
ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us
Preliminary test results indicate that a dairy in west Texas is infected
with cattle tuberculosis (TB). Cattle TB is caused by the Mycobacterium
bovis bacteria and can cause internal lesions in animals. Milk from
commercial dairies is pasteurized, killing bacteria with heat, so there is
not public health concern from this herd detection.
Animals from the 2,600-head dairy were being prepared for sale and some
reacted to TB skin tests. The follow-up blood tests on these animals also
were positive, said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas state veterinarian and executive
director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, the states livestock and
poultry health regulatory agency. Samples were collected from two of the
cattle slaughtered for examination, and the tissues were submitted to the
National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for additional
testing. The lesions are microscopically compatible with TB, and Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) tests on the tissues have detected the DNA, or the
basic genetic material of the disease. The final confirmation is based on a
culture, which may take several weeks. It involves identifying bacterial
growth from the tissue samples as Mycobacterium bovis.
We will be determining the dispensation of the herd in the next few days,
said Dr. Hillman. An epidemiological investigation has been launched to
determine the source or possible spread of the disease.
Texas regained cattle TB-free status in fall 2006, after losing the coveted
status in spring 2002. Dr. Hillman noted that one TB-infected herd will not
affect the states status, but two infected herds within a 48-month period
will result in a loss of TB-free status. Texas most recent TB-infected herd
was a dairy, detected in 2004 and depopulated. California lost its TB-free
status in September 2008, and Minnesota, Michigan and New Mexico are split
states, meaning areas within these states have different TB statuses. All
other states currently are TB-free.
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