28th March 2013

Cases of TB in domestic cats and cat-to-human transmission – risk to public very low

   Following news reports about the potential for pet cats to be able to transmit TB to patients a comment was called for to put some perspective on the stories. Below are the links to the stories : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26766006 and http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2590699/Two-British-people-contract-tuberculosis-contact-cat-recorded-cases-cat-human-transmission.html)

Here is my comment given to the media:

Prof Mark Fielder, medical microbiologist Kingston University, Hon Gen Sec Society for applied Microbiology.

 The recent report of Mycobacterium bovis infection in cats is a highly unusual situation and we currently have no evidence that this occurrence has spread. With this is mind the risk to the public and pet owners remains very low. Having said that we should, as a precautionary measure, take the advice of the PHE in that people who have been in contact with an animal with a known infection should see their doctor just to ensure they have not been exposed.