First Documented Case of Cat-to-Human TB Confirmed
- 10 years ago
Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a very contagious disease that reportedly kills over a million people every year. Two people in the United Kingdom have been infected with a rare form of TB that they reportedly caught from domesticated house cats.
Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a very contagious disease that reportedly kills over a million people every year.
Two people in the United Kingdom have been infected with a rare form of TB typically seen in cattle that they reportedly caught from domesticated house cats.
Both have been treated by medical professionals, and according to Public Health England, are responding to the treatment.
This is the first documented case of transmission of the disease from cats to humans.
Nine cats in Berkshire and Hampshire were identified as hosts to the Mycobacterium bovis bacteria which typically causes TB in cattle.
After screening the people who had come into contact with the infected cats, two more people with inactive TB were also identified.
Six of the infected cats have died, and three of them are still being treated.
Doctor Dilys Morgan, the head of gastrointestinal, emerging and zoonotic diseases department at Public Health England is quoted as saying: "It's important to remember that this was a very unusual cluster of TB in domestic cats. M. bovis is still uncommon in cats - it mainly affects livestock animals.”
Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a very contagious disease that reportedly kills over a million people every year.
Two people in the United Kingdom have been infected with a rare form of TB typically seen in cattle that they reportedly caught from domesticated house cats.
Both have been treated by medical professionals, and according to Public Health England, are responding to the treatment.
This is the first documented case of transmission of the disease from cats to humans.
Nine cats in Berkshire and Hampshire were identified as hosts to the Mycobacterium bovis bacteria which typically causes TB in cattle.
After screening the people who had come into contact with the infected cats, two more people with inactive TB were also identified.
Six of the infected cats have died, and three of them are still being treated.
Doctor Dilys Morgan, the head of gastrointestinal, emerging and zoonotic diseases department at Public Health England is quoted as saying: "It's important to remember that this was a very unusual cluster of TB in domestic cats. M. bovis is still uncommon in cats - it mainly affects livestock animals.”