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The Changing Landscape of Bovine Tuberculosis in Tanzania

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Tuberculosis in Animals: An African Perspective

Abstract

The herd prevalence of BTB in cattle in Tanzania ranges from 0.2 to 13.2%, and M. bovis has also been isolated from a range of wildlife species and from humans. Despite the apparent current low prevalence of M. bovis in cattle in the country, there are known foci of infection and a large variety of M. bovis strains circulating in the population. This large variety of strains is assumed to be the consequence of the extensive and unrestricted traditional pastoral migratory movement of cattle in rural areas and, more recently, the establishment of M. bovis-infected wildlife reservoirs. Hitherto, the control and eradication of BTB infection in Tanzania have been impeded by the complexity of the traditional husbandry practices and the lack of application of the test-and-slaughter policy as the disease is considered to have little impact on livestock economics in Tanzania. However, because of its BTB-positive status, the country is subject to the international restrictions on trade with M. bovis-infected animals and animal products, and this has a negative impact on potential income from this source. In addition, given the zoonotic implications of BTB for people who are exposed to the infection, critical assessment of the situation is required, and the current policies governing the control of the diseases should be reassessed.

In this chapter, we review the current status of BTB in livestock and wildlife, the risk factors that influence the transmission of the infection, the mycobacterial genetic diversity, and the challenges facing the regulatory authorities to control the disease in Tanzania.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Arusha, Tanzania

    Bugwesa Z. Katale

  2. Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania

    Hezron E. Nonga & Rudovick R. Kazwala

Authors
  1. Bugwesa Z. Katale
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  2. Hezron E. Nonga
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  3. Rudovick R. Kazwala
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicince, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA

    Asseged B. Dibaba

  2. Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa

    Nicolaas P. J. Kriek

  3. Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, USA

    Charles O. Thoen

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Katale, B.Z., Nonga, H.E., Kazwala, R.R. (2019). The Changing Landscape of Bovine Tuberculosis in Tanzania. In: Dibaba, A., Kriek, N., Thoen, C. (eds) Tuberculosis in Animals: An African Perspective. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18690-6_21

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