Advancing meat safety diverse approaches for bovine tuberculosis detection and control in abattoirs

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) still represents a significant public health concern and economic issue for livestock breeders in Egypt. This research investigates the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle slaughtered at the central abattoir in Aswan, Egypt, in 2023. A total of 720 cattle were checked antemortem and postmortem at the abattoir. The suspected lesions were analyzed with acid-fast staining, microscopy, histology, ELISA, and RT-PCR. Based on gross tubercle lesions, the overall occurrence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle slaughtered at Aswan abattoirs was 3.2% (23/720), with thoracic lymph nodes and lungs exhibiting the highest frequency of tubercle lesions compared to other organs. According to employed diagnostic tests, the prevalence of tuberculosis was estimated as 68.6, 61, 56.5, and 78.3% for microscopy, histopathology, ELISA, and RT-PCR, respectively. These findings highlight the incidence of bovine tuberculosis and the dissemination of tuberculous lesions among cattle slaughtered at Aswan abattoirs. Furthermore, such prevalence emphasizes the urgent need for a practical disease control approach and an organized surveillance system in the cattle population. One Health strategy is strongly advised to mitigate the zoonotic transmission to people and economic losses in the cattle industry.