Antigenic Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in Fresh and Fermented Milk Sold in Gombe Metropolis, Nigeria

Milk production has increase in most developing countries and Mycobacterium bovis has been in fresh raw and fermented nono in various parts of Nigeria. This study was carried out to detect M. bovis in fresh and fermented milk sold in Gombe Metropolis of Gombe state Nigeria. 180 samples comprise of 90 fresh and 90 fermented milk samples were collected from the three (3) different nono markets. Thirty (30) samples each of fresh and fermented milk were collected from the three nono markets within Gombe metropolis. The samples were cultured on Lowenstein – Jensen Pyruvate media, and the isolates were identified using acid-fast staining, biochemical test and SD-bioline.

Twenty-four 24(26.67%) samples of both fresh and fermented milk showed a positive growth on LJ media, all the isolates of the fresh milk were positive when subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen but only seven 7(7.78%) isolates from fermented milk samples were positive after Ziehl-Neelsen staining. However, 21(23.33) and 6(6.67%) isolates were positive by SD-bioline antigenic determination test for fresh and fermented milk samples. A total of 27(15.0%) isolates were isolated from 180 samples of both fresh and fermented milk. Presence of M. bovis in fresh and fermented milk and other milk products poses a health hazard as it causes extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.