Bovine Tuberculosis Background Tuberculosis is an infectious disease of public health significance caused by bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium . The three main types of tuberculosis mycobacterium are Mycobacterium tuberculosis , M. bovis and M. avium. The primary reservoir for these types are humans, cattle and birds respectively. All three types are capable of producing disease in host species other than their own.
M. tuberculosis is the most specific, affecting primarily primates.
M. bovis is capable of infecting most warm-blooded vertebrates including man. M. avium primarily affects birds but also can also cause disease in swine and occasionally cattle as well as other warm and cold blooded species. The classic lesion associated with tuberculosis is the tubercle, a tumor-like mass that can grow to great size. In primates and cattle, the primary lesion is usually in the lungs. In deer and poultry, the most common site is the abdomen.