title: Human Mycobacterium bovis infection in the south-west of Ireland 1983-1992: a comparison with M. tuberculosis.
abstract: Epidemiological and bacteriological aspects of human Mycobacterium bovis disease were investigated in south-west Ireland (counties Cork & Kerry, population 536,000) over the years 1983-92 inclusive and compared to M. tuberculosis. Results showed a small, stable incidence of culture positive M. bovis human disease, mean annual incidence 0.56 per 100,000 population compared to a higher but declining incidence of culture positive M. tuberculosis (15.3 per 100,000 in 1983, 9.0 per 100,000 in 1992). Male patients were the majority, 63.4 per cent of M. bovis; 62.4% of M. tuberculosis (p = 0.03). Fifty three per cent of M. bovis cases (n = 30) were pulmonary, compared to 85% of M. tuberculosis (n = 626; p = 0.0001). M. bovis patients were older (p = 0.02), mean age 58.4 years (SD 18.9) compared to 48.5 (SD 22.2). The mycobacterial smear positive rate was similar in both groups taken as a whole. No rural-urban difference in incidence was found in either disease, suggesting in the case of M. bovis initial infection in childhood via contaminated milk in the pre-pasteurisation era.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Respiratory Medicine, Cork University Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cryan
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bredin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012423:Rural Health; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014504:Urban Health