engleski

Molecular epizootiology and epidemiology of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis isolated from humans, animals and environment in Croatia

The significance of Mycobacterium avium (particularly subspecies M. avium subsp. hominissuis) infections in animals and humans is increasing. Susceptibility of humans and farm animals to various mycobacteria and the prevalence of the latter in the environment are very important from the aspect of epizootiology and epidemiology, but have not been investigated in detail in Croatia. This study is based on an extensive tuberculin skin test screening of swine from large farms, followed by isolation and molecular identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis isolated from domestic and wild animals, humans and environment. Genotyping by IS1245 RFLP analysis enabled an insight into genetic relatedness of 23 isolates from swine (n=15), humans (n=3), wild boar (n=1), deer (n=1) and sawdust (n=3). Identical RFLP profiles were detected in isolates from wild boar and swine, from swine bred on one farm and from sawdust and swine from one farm. A high degree of similarity was observed for the isolates from humans, deer and swine, from swine and sawdust of the same origin, from swine and sawdust of different origin, and from swine and wild boar from various counties. No epidemiological links between animals and humans were identified, suggesting that humans and animals are final hosts of this pathogen. According to our results, the source of infection for animals and humans is most probably the environment.

Mycobacterium avium; mycobacteriosis; IS1245 RFLP analysis; PCR; genotyping

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