Slaughter surveillance for tuberculosis among cattle in three metropolitan abattoirs in Ghana

Samuel Kumah Atiadeve; Oti Kwasi Gyamfi*; Ephraim Mak-Mensah; Isaac K. A. Galyuon; Darlington Owusu; Frank Adae Bonsu; Kofi Dzorgbenyuie Bedzra; Richard K. Gyasi

doi:10.5897/JVMAH2014.0291

Journal of
Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health

Abbreviation: J. Vet. Med. Anim. Health
Language: English
ISSN: 2141-2529
DOI: 10.5897/JVMAH
Start Year: 2009
Published Articles: 419

Full Length Research Paper

Slaughter surveillance for tuberculosis among cattle in three metropolitan abattoirs in Ghana

Samuel Kumah Atiadeve

Samuel Kumah Atiadeve
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
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Oti Kwasi Gyamfi*

Oti Kwasi Gyamfi*
Cellular and Clinical Research Centre, Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Accra, Ghana.
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Ephraim Mak-Mensah

Ephraim Mak-Mensah
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
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Isaac K. A. Galyuon

Isaac K. A. Galyuon
Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
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Darlington Owusu

Darlington Owusu
Veterinary Services Division, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Accra, Ghana.
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Frank Adae Bonsu

Frank Adae Bonsu
National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, Accra, Ghana.
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Kofi Dzorgbenyuie Bedzra

Kofi Dzorgbenyuie Bedzra
Cellular and Clinical Research Centre, Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Accra, Ghana.
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Richard K. Gyasi

Richard K. Gyasi
Department of Pathology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
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Article Number - AC9991745675
Vol.6(7), pp. 198-207 , July 2014
https://doi.org/10.5897/JVMAH2014.0291

Received: 25 March 2014
Accepted: 26 May 2014
Published: 31 July 2014

Abstract

Despite its existence in Ghana, there is very little information on the extent or nature of bovine tuberculosis. This state of affairs may pose a serious public health threat through risks associated with the consumption of beef from infected cattle, dairy milk and other bovine products. A study to screen bovine carcasses with lesions suggestive of mycobacterial infection at necropsy in three selected abattoirs in Accra was conducted. A total of 2,886 cattle slaughtered in 3 abattoirs in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana between June and October, 2009 were examined at necropsy for lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis. Specimens taken from suspicious lesions were first subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen microscopy and then cultured on Löwenstein-Jensen media containing both pyruvate and glycerol. One hundred and fifty five (155) tissue samples were elicited from only lesions presenting with classical patho-morphological features consistent with bovine tuberculosis in organs found in 145 cattle. These results indicate that 5% (or 145/2886) of the cattle carcasses inspected at slaughter in the Accra region exhibited lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis and this poses a serious public health threat. Visual inspection at necropsy, provided done proficiently, could serve as the primary screening measure for beef contaminated with mycobacterial species in abattoirs in resource-poor settings. Microscopic examination, because of its revealed high specificity in this work may be employed, only as a supplementary test, in difficult cases.

Key words: Beef, lesions, Ziehl-Neelsen microscopy, Mycobacterium bovis, bovine tuberculosis, TB, necropsy, slaughter, surveillance.

Abbreviation

BLN, Bronchial lymph node; BTB, bovine tuberculosis; AFB, acid-fast bacilli; MLN, mesenteric lymph node; MTBC, Mycobacterium tuberculosis-complex; NALC, N-acetyl-L-cysteine; PSLN, pre-scapular lymph node; RTPLN, retro-pharyngeal lymph node; SMLN, supra-mammary lymph node; TB, tuberculosis; WASH, West African Short-Horn; w/v, ratio of weight to volume; ZN, Ziehl-Neelsen.