The bovine tubercle bacillus.

The bovine tubercle bacillus has always been eclipsed by the much higher incidence and the social and economic importance of its human cousin, as well as by the clinical unimportance of differentiating between the two. Nevertheless, in view of the resurgence of tuberculosis generally, the increase in the number of immunosuppressed individuals (i.e. the AIDS epidemic) and the 'great badger debate', there is renewed interest in it. Briefly, this review explores the history of Mycobacterium bovis and its potential for transmission between cattle and humans.