Isolation of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria from Bovine Raw Lungs Bought in Butchers' Shops.

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) can cause opportunistic disease in animals and humans, causing mycobacteriosis. In this study, bovine lungs were collected from butchers' shops and slaughterhouses after food official's inspection from the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires. All samples were cultured and then identified by molecular methods. Twelve isolates of NTM were identified being the most prevalent Mycolicibacterium insubricum. This demonstrates that viable Mycobacteria can pass food inspection and contaminate surfaces and food, making manipulation of raw organs and feeding of animals with raw lungs a potential source of infection for pets and owners.

Detection of Viable Mycobacterium bovis in Lungs and Livers Sold in Butchers' Shops in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Although Mycobacterium bovis is the major etiological agent of tuberculosis in bovines, it can infect other mammalians. Previously reported cases of tuberculosis caused by M. bovis in cats from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) led to the conclusion that the main source of infection for these felines was the ingestion of raw bovine lungs. Thus, for this study, we collected samples of bovine viscera from butchers' shops of the Greater Buenos Aires (GBA) and the CABA to assess presence and viability of these mycobacteria in bovine lungs (including the lymph nodes) and livers. We analyzed 216 different samples and obtained 5 isolates of M. bovis (4 from lungs and 1 from liver) by culture analysis. We also confirmed the presence of different isolates by polymerase chain reaction, spoligotyping, and MIRU-VNTR assays. The results obtained in this work emphasizes the need of social education for food hygiene, and to change the habit of feeding pets with raw viscera, which carries the risk of epizootic and zoonotic transmission. Moreover, control and eradication programs of bovine tuberculosis should be strengthened and improved.