Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease of cattle that occasionally affects other species of mammals. It is a zoonotic disease that can be spread to humans, typically by the inhalation of aerosols or the ingestion of unpasteurized milk. The present study was conducted to diagnose tuberculosis in cattle and buffalo by using conventional method of Tuberculin. Later on, the positive samples of tuberculin test were tested on ELISA and PCR. Additionally, associated risk factors including the age, sex, breed and body condition were also investigated.
One hundred and ninety-two sexually mature animals of age 2-8 years for detection of tuberculosis were selected randomly from four organized farms in eastern wing Lahore district. The animals were divided into two main experimental groups labeled as group B (Buffalos) and group C (Cows). Each group was further sub-divided into 3 sub-groups namely B1, B2, B3 and C1, C2, C3 with age group of below 4y, 4-6y and over 6y respectively.
On the basis of tuberculin test number of positive cases of bovine tuberculosis in buffalo were 7.29 % while in cattle were 11.46% out of total 96 animals of each group. On the basis of diagnosis with ELISA-IFN-γ assay, percentage of positive cases were 71.43% and 72.73 % respectively out of tuberculin positive samples. Whereas the percentage of positive cases in case of PCR of buffalo and cattle were 85.71% and 90.91% respectively.
Number of positive cases in buffalo at age below 4 years, 4-6 years more than 6 years were observed as 1, 2 and 4 respectively. While in cattle, number of positive cases were found to be 2, 3 and 6. In case of buffalo, number of positive cases of bovine tuberculosis in male and female were 2 and 5 respectively. In cattle, 4 males and 7 females were declared as positive. In case of buffalo, number of positive cases of bovine tuberculosis in Nili Ravi (pure breed) and non-descript breeds were 2 and 5 respectively. Number of positive cases in case of indigenous and exotic breeds
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of cattle were 3 and 8 respectively. In buffalo, only 1 animal with good body condition was found positive against bovine tuberculosis, while 2 animals with fair body and 4 animals with poor body condition were observed as positive cases. In case of cattle, only 1 animal with good body condition, 3 with fair body condition while 7 with poor body condition were declared as positive cases.
It can be concluded from the study that Modern techniques are more specific than conventional techniques. It is also deduced from study that cattle are more susceptible to bovine tuberculosis rather than buffalo. Moreover, female animals were more prone to infection than that of male, older animals were found to be infected more frequently than that of younger animals. Animals with poor body conditions were at high risk of infection than animals with good body conditions.