Elephant tuberculosis as a reverse zoonosis

Tuberculosis as a zoonosis from a veterinary perspective.

Tuberculosis is an important disease among many zoonoses, because both Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis, which are the major causes of tuberculosis, are highly pathogenic, infect many animal species and thus are likely to be the source of infection in humans. In particular, monkeys are highly susceptible to these bacteria and are important spreaders. Recently, two outbreaks of...

Tuberculosis: an emerging zoonosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis in animals Humans have had a very close association with animals for millennia, utilising them for food, labour, transport, clothing, companionship, disability assistance, recreation, sport, religious and cultural icons, security, entertainment and research and in rescue, rehabilitation and conservation efforts. It is inevitable then that as a result of this close ass...

Thyroid Tuberculosis Presenting as a Cystic Nodule

Although tuberculosis involves every organ and has a wide range of clinical manifestation, however involvement of the thyroid gland is rare. We report a case of a 25-yr-old female with supraclavicular lymphadenitis that developed nodular swelling of the thyroid and had symptoms and sonographic features mimicking a nodule with a cystic component. The diagnosis was made by using fine needle aspir...

Tuberculosis Endometritis Presenting as A Leiomyoma

Elephant-to-Human Transmission of Tuberculosis, 2009

In 2009, the Tennessee Department of Health received reports of 5 tuberculin skin test (TST) conversions among employees of an elephant refuge and isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from a resident elephant. To determine the extent of the outbreak and identify risk factors for TST conversion, we conducted a cohort study and onsite assessment. Risk for conversion was increased for elephant ...