title: Epidemiologic investigation of Mycobacterium bovis in a population of cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether cats exposed at a residence were infected with Mycobacterium bovis, whether the tuberculin skin test can identify cats infected with M bovis, and whether an ELISA could identify tuberculosis-infected cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 domestic cats exposed to a cat with laboratory-confirmed disseminated M bovis infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats were administered a tuberculin skin test and monitored for 72 hours. Blood and fecal samples were collected. Cats were then euthanatized, and postmortem examinations were performed. Tissues were examined grossly and histologically for signs of mycobacteriosis. Pooled tissue samples and fecal samples were submitted for mycobacterial culture. Blood samples were examined for evidence of tuberculosis by use of a comparative ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  4 cats had positive responses for the ELISA, and 2 cats had suspicious responses. All tuberculin skin tests yielded negative results. No gross or histologic lesions of tuberculosis were detected in any tissues, and mycobacteria were not isolated from tissues or feces obtained from the 20 cats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All cats that had positive or suspicious responses for the ELISA were offspring of the cat with tuberculosis. Evidence of tuberculosis was not seen in other cats at the residence, the owner, or the attending veterinarian. The most likely source of tuberculosis for the infected cat was through the consumption of M bovis-infected wildlife carcasses or offal. Because M bovis is endemic in wildlife in northeastern Michigan, there is a risk of exposure to tuberculosis in companion animals, their owners, and attending veterinarians.
authors.affiliation: Population Medicine Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824, USA.
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kaneene
authors.forename: Colleen S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bruning-Fann
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Mullaney
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: Charles O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Thoen
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halstead
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000662:veterinary; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial