Tracing cross species transmission of Mycobacterium bovis at the wildlife/livestock interface in South Africa

Background: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) affects cattle and wildlife in South Africa with the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) as the principal maintenance host. The presence of a wildlife maintenance host at the wildlife/livestock interface acting as spill-over host makes it much more challenging to control and eradicate bTB in cattle. Spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) genotyping methods were performed to investigate the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) isolates from cattle and wildlife, their distribution and transmission at the wildlife/livestock interface in northern Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa. Results: SB0130 was identified as the dominant spoligotype pattern at this wildlife/livestock interface, while VNTR typing revealed a total of 29 VNTR profiles (strains) in the KZN province signifying high genetic variability. The detection of 5 VNTR profiles shared between cattle and buffalo suggests M. bovis transmission between species. MIRU-VNTR confirmed co-infection in one cow with three strains of M. bovis that differed at a single locus, with 2 being shared with buffalo, implying pathogen introduction from most probably unrelated wildlife sources. Conclusion: Our findings highlight inter and intra species transmission of bTB at the wildlife/livestock interface and the need for the implementation of adequate bTB control measures to mitigate the spread of the pathogen responsible for economic losses and a public health threat.

Tracing cross species transmission of Mycobacterium bovis at the wildlife/livestock interface in South Africa

Background Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) affects cattle and wildlife in South Africa with the African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ) as the principal maintenance host. The presence of a wildlife maintenance host at the wildlife/livestock interface acting as spill-over host makes it much more challenging to control and eradicate bTB in cattle. Spoligotyping and mycobacteria interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) genotyping methods were performed to investigate the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium bovis ( M. bovis ) isolates from cattle and wildlife, their distribution and transmission at the wildlife/livestock interface in northern Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa. Results SB0130 was identified as the dominant spoligotype pattern at this wildlife/livestock interface, while VNTR typing revealed a total of 29 VNTR profiles (strains) in the KZN province signifying high genetic variability. The detection of 5 VNTR profiles shared between cattle and buffalo suggests M. bovis transmission between species. MIRU-VNTR confirmed co-infection in one cow with three strains of M. bovis that differed at a single locus, with 2 being shared with buffalo, implying pathogen introduction from most probably unrelated wildlife sources. Conclusion Our findings highlight inter and intra species transmission of bTB at the wildlife/livestock interface and the need for the implementation of adequate bTB control measures to mitigate the spread of the pathogen responsible for economic losses and a public health threat.

Tracing cross species transmission of Mycobacterium bovis at the wildlife/livestock interface in South Africa

Background Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) affects cattle and wildlife in South Africa with the African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ) as the principal maintenance host. The presence of a wildlife maintenance host at the wildlife/livestock interface acting as spill-over host makes it much more challenging to control and eradicate bTB in cattle. Spoligotyping and mycobacteria interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) genotyping methods were performed to investigate the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium bovis ( M. bovis ) isolates from cattle and wildlife, their distribution and transmission at the wildlife/livestock interface in northern Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa. Results SB0130 was identified as the dominant spoligotype pattern at this wildlife/livestock interface, while VNTR typing revealed a total of 29 VNTR profiles (strains) in the KZN province signifying high genetic variability. The detection of 5 VNTR profiles shared between cattle and buffalo suggests M. bovis transmission between species. MIRU-VNTR confirmed co-infection in one cow with three strains of M. bovis that differed at a single locus, with 2 being shared with buffalo, implying pathogen introduction from most probably unrelated wildlife sources. Conclusion Our findings highlight inter and intra species transmission of bTB at the wildlife/livestock interface and the need for the implementation of adequate bTB control measures to mitigate the spread of the pathogen responsible for economic losses and a public health threat.

SPOLIGOBD VER4 – A GENOTYPE DATABASE OF SPOLIGOTYPING FOR MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERUCULOSIS COMPLEX

Study objectives: To build a database recording all types of spoligotyping genes to serve the purpose of analyzing the result of spoligotyping technique in the study of the genetic diversity of Mycobacteria tuberculosis complex. Object and Methods: To use SpolDB4 as the reference database from Guadeloupe Paster Institute to employ PHP language for programming and record the spoligotyping data in MySQL. The module is run on the web platform. To build statistical functions according to different data entries and different searching tools according to various data input. Results: To complete the building of “SpoligoDB ver4” database to meet the demand of fast, visual and exact searching requirements and to fulfill the result testing process on spoligotyping technique among researches on classifications and drug-resistance and of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex at Carlo Urbani Center, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy and other agencies at the following address http://khdn-yhue.vn/modules.php?name=Spoligodb; http://carlo-urbani-center.org/en/modules.php?name=Spoligodb. Conclusion: To complete the building of SpologoDB ver4 database from enucleated SpolDB4 database provided by the Guadeloupe Pasteur Institute and meet its requirements to serve the result analysis process on spoligotyping technique for those units that wish to research on the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Keywords: spoligotyping, spoligotype pattern, SpoligoDB ver4, AIE-VNM.

Differentiation among Members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex by Molecular and Biochemical Features: Evidence for Two Pyrazinamide-Susceptible Subtypes of M. bovis

ABSTRACT The variations in biochemical as well as molecular characteristics among several members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex that are not M. tuberculosis have been assessed to facilitate an unambiguous species identification. Altogether, 96 M. tuberculosis complex strains including 52 M. bovis isolates and 44 M. africanum isolates were analyzed by spoligotyping. The strains could be clustered into five spoligotype groups. All M. bovis isolates showed the typical absence of the spacers 39 to 43 and typical biochemical properties. However, within these strains we found a group of strains that had a spoligotype pattern which is clearly defined by the additional absence of spacers 3 to 16 and that were uncommonly susceptible to pyrazinamide (PZA). This spoligotype pattern has previously been described as being typical for a caprine genotype because of its predominant isolation from sheep and goats. Due to the clinical importance of PZA resistance, we propose two M. bovis subtypes: M. bovis subtype bovis , which is resistant to PZA, and M. bovis subtype caprae , which is susceptible to PZA. Two additional strains that clustered in group 3 showed biochemical and genetic properties typical for M. bovis and were also sensitive to PZA; thus, they may represent a third PZA-susceptible M. bovis subtype. The M. africanum isolates could be clustered into two spoligotype groups which can be differentiated from M. bovis by hybridization to spacers 39 to 43. These groups correspond to the previously described M. africanum subtypes I and II and can be clearly distinguished from each other by spoligotyping and resistance to thiophen-2-carboxylic acid hydrazide. Our results demonstrate that spoligotyping is a useful tool for differentiation of M. bovis and M. africanum . Moreover, we describe two PZA-susceptible M. bovis subtypes and describe a method that facilitates an unambiguous differentiation of the two M. africanum subtypes.