[Molecular epidemiology of cattle and human tuberculosis in Mexico].

Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the role of bovine TB in cases of human TB.

Material And Methods: Two-hundred and fifty-five samples from symptomatic patients were included in the study. All samples were cultured in Stonebrink and Lowënstein-Jensen media and analyzed using a nested PCRMPB70. The molecular analysis was performed by spoligotyping.

Results: From 255 samples, 74 were PCR-positive and 20 were culture-positive. From 94 samples positive to PCR or to isolation, 66 (70%) showed a spoligotype compatible with M. tuberculosis, and 13 (13.8%) with M. bovis. Four fingerprints of M. bovis from humans were identical to the fingerprints of M. bovis from cattle in the same region.

Conclusions: Our study shows that M. bovis plays an important role in the epidemiology of TB in humans and that TB in cattle represents a risk to public health.