Infection of great apes and a zoo keeper with the same Mycobacterium tuberculosis spoligotype

Med Microbiol Immunol. 2014 Apr;203(2):141-4. doi: 10.1007/s00430-013-0323-0. Epub 2013 Dec 31.

Abstract

An animal keeper was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) after bi-annual screening for latent TB infection in zoo employees. In the same period, several bonobos of the zoo were suffering from TB as well. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from both the animal keeper and the bonobos appeared identical. We provide evidence that the animals infected their keeper.

Publication types

  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Zoo*
  • Hominidae*
  • Humans
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Primate Diseases / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / veterinary*
  • Zoonoses / microbiology*