Situation of bovine tuberculosis in Ecuador

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a chronic and contagious disease that affects domestic animals, wildlife, and humans. Caused by Mycobacterium bovis, BTB causes major economic losses and poses a serious constraint to international livestock trade. Moreover, in developing countries where BTB controls are lacking, M. bovis is a public health concern. In most developing countries, the prevalence of BTB in livestock is unknown because the information is either not reported or not available. In Ecuador, there is no national BTB control program. This article reviews the BTB situation in Ecuador by examining exhaustive data from tuberculin testing surveys and slaughterhouse surveillance studies conducted in 1972-2008 in a variety of the country's geographic areas. In Ecuador, several factors, including the dairy industry's expansion (preempted by the high demand for milk and its by-products), intensified efforts to increase the cattle population, the presence of M. bovis, and a lack of BTB controls, have caused a rise in BTB prevalence, and consequently, a growing push for the implementation of a national BTB control program.

Brucellosis in Dairy Cattle and Goats in Northern Ecuador

“…Overall, our brucellosis prevalence findings for cattle are similar to those findings reported by the Ecuadorian National Veterinary Service and Agrocalidad. 7 However, some herds had extremely high disease prevalence, which was consistent with data published in a graduate thesis project. 9 The finding of very little or no prevalence in rural communities (where animals are managed individually) or small groups (less than five animals) is consistent with the pathophysiology of the bacteria, which requires direct contact (more common in herds) for transmission.…”

“…As part of a national brucellosis disease control program, a division of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture, Agrocalidad, estimated prevalence of brucellosis in food animals from 1979 to 2008 to range from 1.92% to 10.62% in cattle in highland provinces and from 4.12% to 10.62% in coastal provinces. 7 Data published in different graduate theses from Ecuadorian universities show significant variability in cattle disease prevalence, ranging from 1-9.73% to 24-48%. 8,9 The aim of this study was to estimate brucellosis prevalence (from a convenience sample) in food animals that the authors work with on a regular basis, including commercial dairy herds, cattle in rural communities, and urban milking goats in the northern Ecuadorian highland provinces of Imbabura and Pichincha and the city of Quito, respectively.…”