Outbreak of Mycobacterium bovis in a Conditioned Colony of Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) Macaques

摘要

WedescribeatuberculosisoutbreakcausedbyMycobacteriumbovisinaconditionedcolonyofrhesus(Macacamulatta)andcynomolgus(Macacafascicularis)macaques.Animalsinfiveroomswereexposed,butmost(16/27)infectionswereconfinedtotheroomthathousedamixedpopulationofcynomolgusandrhesusmacaques.Inthisroom,rhesus(8/8)andcynomolgus(10/11)macaquesnaturallyexposedtoM.boviswereinfectedatnearlyidenticalrates(Fisherexacttest,2-tailedP=1).Theclinicalsignsofdiseaseandpathologiclesionsininfectedmacaques,however,weremoderatelydifferentbetweenthetwospecies.Rhesusmacaquesweremorelikely(5/8)toexhibitclinicalsignsofpersistentcoughingandinappetance,andhadmoreseverepulmonarylesions.Bycontrast,clinicalsignsofdiseasewereseeninonly1of19cynomolgusmacaques,andoverall,thepulmonarylesionswereoftenfocalandlesssevere,althoughsomestillhadsevereinvolvementofthelungssimilartothatseeninrhesusmacaques.Thesedifferencesshouldbetakenintoconsiderationwhendevelopingorevaluatingatuberculosis-screeningprogram.Onthebasisofobservationsmadeduringthisoutbreak,werecommendthatalternativescreeningmethodssuchasthePRIMAGAMtestandtheESAT-6ELISA,beincorporatedintothescreeningprogramtoaidintheidentificationofinfectedanimals.