Isolation of pathogenic Mycobacterium strains in cattle slaughtered in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Abstract

The major cause of meat rejection at the slaughterhouse of Bobo-Dioulasso is bovine tuberculosis. The objective of this work was to confirm the postmortem diagnosis pronounced at the slaughterhouse using laboratory methods direct examination following Ziehl-Hielsen staining and isolation of Mycobacterium strains following culture in a Loewenstein-Jensen medium. During the study, 39 pathogenic Mycobacterium strains (38 Mycobacterium bovis and 1 Mycobacterium tuberculosis) out of 100 sampled out suspicious strains, were studied. No Mycobacteria typical of M. farcinogenes was found on direct examination. We were then able to differentiate between bovine tuberculosis and bovine farcy. The results confirm the well-founded decision in the slaughterhouse to discard the meat on the grounds of tuberculosis. The majority of cattle is located in villages around Bobo-Dioulasso and its is therefore highly likely that the disease is enzootic in the area with a fairly high level of infection in animals.