Tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis in Murcia

Tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis is a common disease in developing countries, due to its reservoir and most common forms of transmission. Extrapulmonary cases are not uncommon. This fact and the exceptional nature of this mycobacterium, make the diagnosis difficult in our environment. The arrival of migrants from developing countries, where affected cattle and ingestion of contaminated products are frequent, we must be on the alert for an early diagnosis and adequate treatment. We report three cases diagnosed in our region, both with extrapulmonary presentations (cervical lymphadenitis and abdominal tuberculosis), and analyze the present situation of this illness in Spanish livestock, and the influence of immigration on it. (C) 2009 Asociacion Espanola de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.