Mycobacterium bovis

Mycobacterium bovis,

a species of bacteria that causes tuberculosis in cattle and other animals and is transmitted to humans by the ingestion of raw milk contaminated by the microorganism.

---

Mycobacterium

the only genus in the family Mycobacteriaceae of bacteria; slender acid-fast rods which may be straight or slightly curved. They may produce filaments or cocci. The most serious disease caused by members of this genus is tuberculosis. M. fortuitum, M. chelonea, M. marinum are listed as causes of piscine tuberculosis. Other species, including M. aquae, M. kansasii and M. scrofulaceum, may occasionally cause disease in a number of different species.

---

Mycobacterium avium

found mostly in birds but occasionally also in other animals and in humans. The tubercle bacillus of birds, it causes avian tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

causes Johne's disease in cattle, sheep, goats, deer and camelids. Previously called M. johnei and M. paratuberculosis.

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare

complex see M. intracellulare (below).

Mycobacterium bovis

the tubercle bacillus of the bovine, it causes tuberculosis in many animal species and humans.

Mycobacterium chelonei, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium phlei, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium thermoresistible

cause disease in a number of animal species, including mastitis in cattle and cutaneous mycobacterial granuloma in cats and dogs. See also opportunist (atypical) mycobacteria.

Mycobacterium farcinogenes, Mycobacterium senegalense

associated with bovine farcy.

Mycobacterium genovense

causes mycobacteriosis in birds.

Mycobacterium intracellulare

found in tuberculin-positive cattle and causes limited lymph node lesions in pigs. Closely related to M. avium and also described as M. avium-intracellulare complex.

Mycobacterium johnei

see M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (above).

Mycobacterium kansasii

causes tuberculosis-like disease in pigs, deer and cattle.

Mycobacterium leprae

the cause of leprosy in humans.

Mycobacterium lepraemurium

causes murine and feline leprosy.

Mycobacterium marinum

found in water, it causes tuberculosis in fish and skin ulcers in humans.

Mycobacterium microti

the vole bacillus; lesions sometimes occur in other species.

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

previously called M. johnei. See M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (above).

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

the tubercle bacillus of humans, but found also in monkeys and pigs, and rarely in cattle, dogs and parrots.

Mycobacterium ulcerans

causes skin ulcers in humans and cats.

Mycobacterium xenopi

causes mycobacterial granuloma in cats and lymph node lesions in pigs.

---

Mycobacterium bovis

A mycobacterium that causes a TB-like infection in cows; before pasteurization was common, M bovis spread to humans via contaminated milk