Abstract:
We have identified a globally important clonal complex of M. bovis by deletion
analysis of over one thousand strains from over 30 countries. We initially show that over
99% of the strains ofMycobacterium bovis, the cause of bovine tuberculosis, isolated
from cattle in the Republic of Ireland and the UK are closely related and are members of a
single clonal complex marked by the deletion of chromosomal region RDEu,1 and we
named this clonal complex European 1 (Eu1). Eu1 strains were present at less than
14% of French, Portuguese and Spanish isolates ofM. bovis but are rare in other
mainland European countries and Iran. However, strains of the Eu1 clonal complex were
found at high frequency in former trading partners of the UK (USA, South Africa, New
Zealand, Australia and Canada). The Americas, with the exception of Brazil, are
dominated by the Eu1 clonal complex which was at high frequency in Argentina, Chile,
Ecuador and Mexico as well as North America. Eu1 was rare or absent in the African
countries surveyed except South Africa. A small sample of strains from Taiwan were
non-Eu1 but, surprisingly, isolates from Korea and Kazakhstan were members of the Eu1
clonal complex. The simplest explanation for much of the current distribution of the Eu1
clonal complex is that it was spread in infected cattle, such as Herefords, from the UK to
former trading partners, although there is evidence of secondary dispersion since. This
the first identification of a globally dispersed clonal complex M. bovis and indicates that
much of the current global distribution of this important veterinary pathogen has resulted
from relatively recent International trade in cattle.
