Feline Tuberculosis and Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterioses: An Updated Veterinary Perspective

Year 2026, Volume: 37 Issue: 1, 123 - 130, 29.03.2026

Mehmet Fatih Bozkurt , Mudassar Zafar , Emin Karakurt

https://doi.org/10.36483/vanvetj.1874107

https://izlik.org/JA76ME85FK

Abstract

Traditionally considered to be an uncommon illness in domestic cats, feline tuberculosis (TB) is now recognized as an emerging infection with significant consequences for both public health and veterinary practice. Cats are susceptible to multiple members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, especially Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium microti, which can produce a variety of clinical and epidemiological patterns, according to advances in molecular diagnostics and surveillance over the past three decades. Concurrently, non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections are increasingly being reported, which makes diagnostic and treatment choices in feline practice even more difficult. In rural and peri-urban settings, contact with wildlife or livestock, consumption of contaminated prey, inhalation of contaminated aerosols, or traumatic inoculation of wounds are the most common ways that the disease is spread. Concurrent diseases, pathogen virulence, and host immunological state all affect how rapidly and severely a disease worsens. Clinical signs and symptoms vary greatly, from respiratory illness and widespread multi-organ involvement to localized skin lesions and lymphadenopathy. Despite not being key reservoirs for tuberculosis, cats are relevant in a One Health framework due to their close interaction with humans and susceptibility to infection. The length of therapy, possible zoonotic hazards, regulatory limitations, and the scarcity of licensed anti-mycobacterial medications for companion animals make treatment difficult. The etiology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical features, diagnostic techniques, treatment choices, and preventive measures of feline tuberculosis and non-tuberculous are all covered in this study, which offers an updated synthesis of global and regional data.

Keywords

Feline tuberculosis , Mycobacterium bovis , Mycobacterium microti , Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex , Non-tuberculous mycobacteria

Kedi Tüberkülozu ve Non-Tüberküloz Mikobakteriyozlar: Güncel Bir Veteriner Hekimlik Perspektifi

https://izlik.org/JA76ME85FK

Abstract

Evcil kedilerde uzun yıllar nadir görülen bir hastalık olarak kabul edilen tüberküloz, günümüzde hem veteriner hekimlik hem de halk sağlığı açısından önem kazanan, ortaya çıkan bir enfeksiyon hastalığı olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Son otuz yılda moleküler tanı yöntemleri ve epidemiyolojik sürveyans alanındaki gelişmeler, kedilerin başta Mycobacterium bovis ve Mycobacterium microti olmak üzere Mycobacterium tuberculosis kompleksine (MTBC) ait çeşitli türlere duyarlı olduğunu ve hastalığın farklı klinik ve epidemiyolojik özellikler gösterebildiğini ortaya koymuştur. Bununla birlikte, non-tüberküloz mikobakteri (NTM) enfeksiyonlarının bildiriminde de belirgin bir artış gözlenmekte olup, bu durum kedi pratiğinde tanı ve tedavi yaklaşımlarını daha karmaşık hale getirmektedir. Hastalığın bulaşmasında özellikle kırsal ve yarı kentsel bölgelerde yaban hayatı veya çiftlik hayvanlarıyla temas, kontamine avların tüketilmesi, enfekte aerosollerin inhalasyonu ve travmatik yaralar yoluyla inokülasyon önemli rol oynamaktadır. Hastalığın seyri ve şiddeti; etkenin virülansı, eşlik eden hastalıklar ve konağın immün durumu gibi faktörlere bağlı olarak değişkenlik göstermektedir. Klinik bulgular solunum sistemi tutulumundan yaygın multiorgan enfeksiyonlarına, lokalize deri lezyonlarından lenfadenopatiye kadar geniş bir yelpazede ortaya çıkabilmektedir. Kediler tüberküloz için primer rezervuarlar arasında yer almamakla birlikte, insanlarla yakın temasları ve enfeksiyona duyarlılıkları nedeniyle Tek Sağlık yaklaşımı kapsamında önemli kabul edilmektedir. Uzun tedavi süreleri, potansiyel zoonotik riskler, yasal düzenlemeler ve evcil hayvanlar için ruhsatlı antimikobakteriyel ilaçların sınırlı olması tedaviyi güçleştiren başlıca etmenlerdir. Bu derleme, kedi tüberkülozu ve non-tüberküloz mikobakteriyozların etiyolojisi, patogenezi, epidemiyolojisi, klinik özellikleri, tanı yöntemleri, tedavi yaklaşımları ve korunma stratejilerini güncel literatür ışığında kapsamlı olarak ele almayı amaçlamaktadır.

Keywords

Kedi tüberkülozu , Mycobacterium bovis , Mycobacterium microti , Mycobacterium tuberculosis kompleksi , Non-tüberküloz mikobakteriler

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