Regresar

Situation of bovine tuberculosis in Ecuador

Abstract:

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a chronic and contagious diseasethat affects domestic animals, wildlife, and humans.Caused by Mycobacterium bovis, BTB causes major economiclosses and poses a serious constraint to internationallivestock trade. Moreover, in developing countries whereBTB controls are lacking, M. bovis is a public health concern.In most developing countries, the prevalence of BTB inlivestock is unknown because the information is either notreported or not available. In Ecuador, there is no nationalBTB control program.This article reviews the BTB situation in Ecuador byexamining exhaustive data from tuberculin testing surveysand slaughterhouse surveillance studies conducted in1972-2008 in a variety of the country's geographic areas. InEcuador, several factors, including the dairy industry's expansion(preempted by the high demand for milk and its byproducts),intensified efforts to increase the cattle population,the presence of M. bovis, and a lack of BTB controls,have caused a rise in BTB prevalence, and consequently, agrowing push for the implementation of a national BTB control program.