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Tuberculosis in wild boar and the risk of human infection by Mycobacterium bovis results of a study conducted in Southern Italy

Francesco Casalinuovo, Lucia Ciambrone, Raffaele Grillone, Natalino De Gori

The presence of tuberculosis infection in wild boar populations in a southern Italian territory was investigated, in order to discern any epidemiological and spatial correlations between the strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolated in wild boar and humans who share the same territory. We also evaluated the presence and level of contamination by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in meat from wild boar killed during the hunting season. Although the presence of tuberculosis infection in wild boar has been amply demonstrated, little information is currently available regarding the risk of direct human infection through the handling and consumption of the meat of infected animals. Consequently, the risk of humans being infected through eating raw or insufficiently cooked meats contaminated during butchery, albeit deemed probable, has not yet been sufficiently proved. Culture tests were carried out on organs and lymph-nodes presenting suspected tubercular lesions from 250 slaughtered wild boars; spoligotyping tests were then conducted on the strains of Mycobacterium bovis obtained, in order to compare these with the strains of Mycobacterium bovis isolated from human patients. The results showed a genetic correlation between the SB1565 genotype isolated from wild boar and the same genotype isolated from a human patient with clinically manifested tuberculosis. Moreover, a genetic correlation was seen between the genotypes SB1565 and SB0120 and the strains of Mycobacterium bovis isolated from cattle.