Insights into mycobacteriome composition in Mycobacterium bovis-infected African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) tissue samples.

Animal tuberculosis significantly challenges global health, agriculture, and wildlife conservation efforts. Mycobacterial cultures are resource-intensive, time-consuming, and challenged by heterogeneous populations. In this study, we employed a culture-independent approach, using targeted long-read-based next-generation sequencing (tNGS), to investigate the mycobacterial composition in 60 DNA samples extracted from Mycobacterium bovis infected culture-confirmed African buffalo tissue.

Advancing animal tuberculosis surveillance using culture-independent long-read whole-genome sequencing.

Animal tuberculosis is a significant infectious disease affecting both livestock and wildlife populations worldwide. Effective disease surveillance and characterization of strains are essential for understanding transmission dynamics and implementing control measures. Currently, sequencing of genomic information has relied on culture-based methods, which are time-consuming, resource-demanding, and concerning in terms of biosafety.