Thursday, 12 August 2010

TUBERCULOSIS: Bovine tbc in Ohio

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs today announces that preliminary tests performed by the department’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory revealed a positive result for bovine tuberculosis in a Paulding County dairy herd. There is no known human illness associated with this occurrence.
The herd was found positive after routine tuberculosis testing by the department. The herd was depopulated, and the department is currently conducting a trace-in and trace-out investigation to determine if other livestock may be affected.

“We are currently working with our state and federal partners on this matter to take the necessary steps to identify the origin of the affected cattle,” said Boggs. “This is yet another example of how the Ohio Department of Agriculture works daily to assure the safety of Ohio consumers and livestock.”

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by bacteria which affects the respiratory system. Bovine tuberculosis, also known as Cattle TB, is an infectious form of tuberculosis as it infects most warm-blooded animals, including humans. It can manifest in livestock as a chronic, debilitating disease, and it may take years to develop bovine tuberculosis lesions in the lungs.

Airborne exposure from coughing and sneezing is considered to be the most frequent way in which bovine tuberculosis is spread, but it can also occur through consumption of contaminated water, feed or unpasteurized milk.

http://www.buckeyeag.com/article.php?aid=20100708031810209

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