The diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in Bistrița-Năsăud county during 2013-2017

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis is still a problem, both in terms of economic losses, animal health and the increased risk of human infections. Limited possibilities of veterinarians to diagnose and control tuberculosis could result in a rapid spread of this disease in cattle herds and making the eradication procedures longer and less efficient. Correct and accurate diagnosis of positive animals in the database and their culling could lead to the eradication of bovine tuberculosis from Romania. The aim of this study was the epidemiological and microbiological evaluation of bovine tuberculosis status on a 5 year interval (2013-2017) in Bistriţa-Năsăud County. Laboratory techniques have highlighted the presence of Mycobacterium bovis on microscopic fields, tuberculosis lesions in the organs using histological preparations and the growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium. The most important screening technique for the diagnosis is the tuberculin test. From the total number of 375644 cattle tested over the 5-year interval, 364558 (97.04%) have been the subject of this tuberculin intradermal reaction. A total of 757 animals have shown an inconclusive result to the initial single test, all these have been retested 42 days later with the comparative simultaneous test, and just 27 came positive. From the total of 225 cattle diagnosed as positive, just 19 have been confirmed by pathological, cultural and experimental infection on guinea pigs.