Written question asked by Nick Harvey (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 28 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 5 April 2005. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Tuesday, 5 April 2005 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will assess whether there is a link between an increase in human TB and the spread of bovine TB among cattle.

Answer: Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess whether there is a link between an increase in human TB and the spread of bovine TB among cattle. [224679] Mr. Bradshaw: There is no link between increase in human tuberculosis (TB) and the spread of bovine TB among cattle in the United Kingdom (UK). Human TB is most often caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (which is usually acquired from another human) and not by Mycobacterium bovis, the cause of bovine TB, which nowadays is rarely transmitted to man. Between 20 and 50 (typically 40) people have been diagnosed with bovine TB in the UK annually since 1990, representing 1 per cent. to 1.5 per cent. of culture- confirmed cases of TB in humans. Their geographical distribution does not mirror that of bovine TB in the cattle population. Most cases are attributed to (i) reactivation of old infection contracted prior to widespread pasteurisation of milk, or (ii) infection contracted abroad.

Secondary information