Epizootological and aetiopathogenetic aspects of mycobacterioses.

Animal mycobacterioses, unlike those in humans, are not in the focus of veterinary science and practice for various reasons. This fact, as well as some others, including the growing incidence of human mycobacteriosis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria involved in the sensitisation of productive animals, is an objective, albeit indirect, indication of the existing problem of mycobacteriosis in veterinary medicine. This study employed the comparative geographical and epizootological methods of analysis. The findings obtained from the publications of scientists from around the world helped to summarise and objectively assess the severity of the epizootic situation regarding mycobacteriosis in animals in the world and in Ukraine, to identify a range of features of the infectious and epizootic processes, and to establish the dominant aetiopathogenetic criteria for this infection in animal populations. Animal mycobacteriosis is the subject of detailed scientific research in most countries of the world, as this disease is widespread among productive and unproductive (domestic and wild) animals, as well as the fish fauna of sea and river waters. It was found that the most common causative agents of mycobacteriosis are nontuberculous mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium avium complex, M. abscessus complex, M. kansasii, and M. fortuitum, and some others. In Ukraine, animal mycobacteriosis is not given due attention, even though parallergic reactions to tuberculin in cattle lead to complications in the diagnosis of tuberculosis infection. They cause considerable losses in dairy farming due to the culling and slaughter of highly productive cows. Identification of aetiopathogenetic patterns of paraallergic reactions to tuberculin in productive animals is a key to effective control and management of the epizootic process of animal mycobacteriosis and reduction of biohazards of human infection with non-tuberculous mycobacteria through food of animal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]