Bacteria Genomes - MYCOBACTERIUM BOVIS

Mycobacterium bovis is a Gram-positive non-spore forming, non-motile, slightly curved, aerobic, slow-growing bacterium. It is the causative agent of tuberculosis in cattle and other animals, including buffalo, lions and antelopes . The organism can also cause tuberculosis in humans.

Its genome is 99.95 percent identical to that of M. tuberculosis. It is also part of the Mycobacterium complex which also includes M. tuberculosis and M. avium.

Bovine Tuberculosis is a contagious, debilitating disease of both humans and animals. The primary site of infection is the lymph nodes, but it will spread to other organs such as the lungs as the disease progresses. Clinical signs of the disease include weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss and fever. Bovine TB is a chronic disease, and infected animals may take several years to develop clinical signs or may show no evidence of infection until they are sent to slaughter. Because the disease in cattle may not be clinically evident, even in advanced stages, diagnosis is often made upon post mortem examination at slaughter. Nodular lesions may be found in any organ or body cavity, but are usually seen in the lungs and associated lymph nodes of the head, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.

The current vaccine against TB, the so-called BCG vaccine (short for 'Bacillus Calmette-Guerin') is not very effective. It is made from a live but weakened strain of Mycobacterium bovis.

References:

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A , 100 (13):7877-82 (2003)
http://genomenewsnetwork.org/sequenced_genomes/genome_guide_p2.shtml#mycob
http://www.sanger.ac.uk/Projects/M_bovis/
http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/vet/facts/info_bovine_tuberculosis.htm