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What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a serious disease of warm blooded animals arising from infection by organisms of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex. This is a group of closely related bacteria that includes the following:

  • Mycobacterium bovis (responsible for TB in cattle and other mammals)
  • M.tuberculosis (the primary agent of TB in humans)

The MTB complex itself is part of a family of more than 80 different bacterial species known as Mycobacteriaceae.  Many of these bacteria are harmless to animals and people, but others are responsible for diseases such as:

  • Human leprosy
  • Johne’s disease in ruminants
  • Avian TB (tuberculosis of birds)


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