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Tuberculosis in Animals: An African Perspective pp 283–303Cite as

The Status of Bovine Tuberculosis in Cameroon

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Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a neglected endemic zoonotic disease in Cameroon. The prevalence of human tuberculosis (TB) is also considered very high in the country. The diagnosis of TB in animals is based mostly on detecting the characteristic macroscopic lesions found at slaughter and during meat inspection in abattoirs. The M. bovis strains circulating in animals, the extent of zoonotic TB due to M. bovis as well as M. bovis maintenance hosts, and the role that they play are unknown. The lack of active BTB surveillance in Cameroonian livestock and the close human–animal interactions in the management of herds provide suitable conditions for the emergence and transmission of zoonotic BTB. The potential threat of zoonotic TB due to M. bovis to human health, even at a low prevalence, cannot be overemphasized. Thus, broad multidisciplinary investigations of the sources and identification of TB causing agents, routes of transmission, associated risk factors, and epidemiology of TB among humans and animals as major keys to modelling the control of the disease, are essential. This review is built on records of the high prevalence of BTB in cattle and human TB; various tubercle bacilli strains isolated in cattle and closed human–livestock contacts in agropastoral communities in Cameroon, to highlight the risk factors for exposure and transmission of zoonotic BTB infection to cattle and cattle professionals; and its public health significance. It emphasizes the relevance of the multidisciplinary approach based on the “One Health” philosophy to control zoonotic BTB in Cameroon.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

    Julius Awah-Ndukum & Victor Ngu-Ngwa

  2. Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon

    Nkongho Franklyn Egbe

Authors
  1. Julius Awah-Ndukum
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  2. Nkongho Franklyn Egbe
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  3. Victor Ngu-Ngwa
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicince, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA

    Asseged B. Dibaba

  2. Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa

    Nicolaas P. J. Kriek

  3. Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, USA

    Charles O. Thoen

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Awah-Ndukum, J., Egbe, N.F., Ngu-Ngwa, V. (2019). The Status of Bovine Tuberculosis in Cameroon. In: Dibaba, A., Kriek, N., Thoen, C. (eds) Tuberculosis in Animals: An African Perspective. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18690-6_12

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