FAQs on cattle tuberculosis
BfR FAQ, 17 January 2013
In Bavaria, an examination of dairy cattle populations by the competent supervisory authorities detected cattle tuberculosis in some populations. Cattle tuberculosis is caused by an infection with mycobacteria. The principal pathogen for tuberculosis in cattle are the Mycobacterium (M.) bovis subspecies bovis and M. bovis subsp. caprae. Tuberculous mycobacteria include, among others, M. tuberculosis, the pathogen for tuberculosis in humans. Cattle tuberculosis pathogens can also be transmitted to humans and cause illness in the same way that M. tuberculosis can be responsible for tuberculosis in cattle. The BfR has compiled frequently asked questions on the health risks posed by foods derived from cattle populations infected with tuberculosis.