Abstract:
The risk for humans to contract bovine tuberculosis through the consumption of undercooked
game meat as well as biltong (traditionally dried game meat) is a concern. The
survival potential of Mycobacterium bovis during the cooking and drying processes was
researched in a preceding study on beef and the positive results compelled the authors to
investigate the results with a similar preliminary study on game meat. Muscular, lymphatic
and visceral tissues from skin test positive African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and greater kudu
(Tragelaphus strepsiceros) with tuberculous lesions were collected from the Hluhluwe
iMfolozi Park during the park’s culling programme. The different tissues were exposed to
cooking and the muscular tissue to the drying process prior to culture. All acid-fast isolates
were analysed by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of Mycobacterium bovis. All
tissues were found negative for Mycobacterium bovis but non-tuberculous mycobacteria
were isolated from kidney, liver, heart and lymph nodes. The results showed that these
processes will kill Mycobacterium bovis but the unexpected recovery of non-tuberculous
mycobacteria suggests possible survival and resistance characteristics of these strains
which might be of veterinary public health interest.
