title: Human Mycobacterium bovis infection in ten Latin American countries.
abstract: The aim of this work was to obtain the best possible estimate of the relevance of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in humans in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Sources of information were a questionnaire filled by the participant laboratories, and a search of published literature (1970-2007). Only four of these countries reported bacteriologically confirmed cases of BTB in humans. Most of these were diagnosed in Argentina, where the mean percentage of Mycobacterium bovis cases in relation to those due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (2000-2006) ranged from 0.34% to 1.0%, according to the region. A slowly decreasing trend was observed in non HIV as well as in HIV/AIDS patients in Buenos Aires. In most of these countries, the low coverage of culture methods, especially of those including pyruvate-containing media, appropriate to isolate M. bovis, contributes to an underestimate of the problem. It was confirmed that BTB in humans exists, even though its relevance seems to be low. Milk pasteurization, sanitary controls to dairy products, and meat inspection at slaughterhouses contribute to the protection of human health. However, occupational aerogenous exposure to TB cattle and their carcasses remains a source of infection in the region.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Consultants Group, World Health Organization, Av. Libertador 7504, 16 A, 1429 Buenos Aires, Argentina. ikantorp@fibertel.com.ar
authors.forename: Isabel N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: de Kantor
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ambroggi
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poggi
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morcillo
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Da Silva Telles
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osório Ribeiro
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Garzón Torres
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Llerena Polo
authors.forename: Wellman
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ribón
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuffo
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Asencios
authors.forename: Lucy M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Vásquez Campos
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.forename: Jacobus H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: de Waard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis; D011634:Public Health; D014380:Tuberculosis, Bovine / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology*