Despite its existence in Ghana, there is very little information on the extent or nature of bovine tuberculosis. This state of affairs may pose a serious public health threat through risks associated with the consumption of beef from infected cattle, dairy milk and other bovine products. A study to screen bovine carcasses with lesions suggestive of mycobacterial infection at necropsy in three selected abattoirs in Accra was conducted. A total of 2,886 cattle slaughtered in 3 abattoirs in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana between June and October, 2009 were examined at necropsy for lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis. Specimens taken from suspicious lesions were first subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen microscopy and then cultured on Löwenstein-Jensen media containing both pyruvate and glycerol. One hundred and fifty five (155) tissue samples were elicited from only lesions presenting with classical patho-morphological features consistent with bovine tuberculosis in organs found in 145 cattle. These results indicate that 5% (or 145/2886) of the cattle carcasses inspected at slaughter in the Accra region exhibited lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis and this poses a serious public health threat. Visual inspection at necropsy, provided done proficiently, could serve as the primary screening measure for beef contaminated with mycobacterial species in abattoirs in resource-poor settings. Microscopic examination, because of its revealed high specificity in this work may be employed, only as a supplementary test, in difficult cases.
BackgroundThe main objective of this study was to characterise supposed non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) found in previously treated tuberculosis (TB) cases to inform policy on inclusion of NTM diagnosis and management as a differential in TB care. In addition, the objective was to test the sensitivity or otherwise of the identification algorithm used in Ghana to declare an isolate an NTM.MethodsThirty-one supposed NTM isolates from previously treated TB patients were collected. The NTM identification was based on culture positivity by BD MGIT 960TM, smear positivity for acid fast bacilli and finally by BD MGIT TB-cIDTM test kit. DNA was extracted using the Hain Lifescience GMBH GenolyseTM kit. The specimens were further subjected to sequencing.ResultsFive (16%) of the previously treated cases wereMycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC);two (6.5%) wereM. abscesus/cholenae;1 case (3.2%) forM. fortuitumandM. gordonaeeach. One (3.2%) was an unknown mycobacterium and 4 (12.9%) were other bacteria. Streptomyces and Brevibacteria were 8 (25.8%) and 6 (19.4%), respectively. There were three incidences of mixture with other bacteria; 2 MTBCs (6.5%) and 1 NTM (3.2%).ConclusionsThere is some evidence to suggest the prevalence of NTM colonisation and disease in previously treated TB patients. There is the possibility of some smear positive new cases being NTM lung diseases but may be put on TB treatment. Emphasis on differentiation of AFB positive smears before treatment especially for retreatment cases must be made. The rapid deployment of new molecular methods has the potential of bridging the gap. There is the need for a definite diagnostic algorithm that can detect both NTMs and MTBCs. Further studies are encouraged to determinate whether the other organisms identified are relevant possible pathogens or contaminants.
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