Genomic analysis of an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in a man‐made multi‐host species system: A call for action on wildlife in Brazil

Abstract

We report on a 15‐year‐long outbreak of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in wildlife from a Brazilian safari park. A timeline of diagnostic events and whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) of 21 Mycobacterium bovis isolates from deer and llamas were analyzed. Accordingly, from 2003 to 2018, at least 16 animals, from eight species, died due to TB, which is likely an underestimated number. In three occasions since 2013, the deer presented positive tuberculin tests, leading to the park closure and culling of all deer. WGS indicated that multiple M. bovis strains were circulating, with at least three founding introductions since the park inauguration in 1977. Using a previously sequenced dataset of 71 M. bovis genomes from cattle, we found no recent transmission events between nearby farms and the park based on WGS. Lastly, by discussing socio‐economic and environmental factors escaping current regulatory gaps that were determinant of this outbreak, we pledge for the development of a plan to report and control bTB in wildlife in Brazil.

>b<Host adaptation of >i<Mycobacterium tuberculosis>/i< and >i<Mycobacterium bovis>/i<:>/b< a genomic and transcriptional approach

“…few ecotypes are highly adapted to humans while others are more adapted to animals), virulence, and transmission capacity . In contrast, Mycobacterium bovis infects a broad range of animal species, with higher predominance in bovids, but can also cause disease in many wild animals with variable populational persistence LIMA et al, 2021). It is also the main pathogen of zoonotic TB in humans, but it is rarely transmitted between diseased individuals .…”

>b<Estudo da situação epidemiológica da tuberculose e brucelose simultâneas em bovinos no Pará - Brasil>/b<

“…O Brasil não possui dados de quantas pessoas anualmente adquirem tuberculose causada por M. bovis, representando um impasse para os órgãos de saúde. Estudos recentes constataram a presença de tuberculose na fauna nativa livre(LIMA et al, 2021) , no entanto até o momento, os diversos estudos realizados no país desde a implantação do PNCEBT nunca apresentou estes como fatores de risco. A presença de tuberculose e brucelose na fauna silvestre é um importante limitante para a erradicação destas doenças em territórios que apresentam sucesso em seus programas de controle, pois mesmo com rebanhos livres de brucelose e tuberculose, os animais silvestres representam um fator de risco para a reintrodução nos patógenos no plantel(OIE, 2022) .…”