Avian Mycobacteriosis: Still Existing Threat to Humans

Table 1

M. tuberculosis and M. avium complex taxonomy.

Member	Etiology
M. tuberculosis complex
M. tuberculosis	Human tuberculosis, occasionally in animals in close contact with infected patients
M. bovis	Tuberculosis in bovines and other animals; humans are mainly infected by drinking raw milk
M. bovis BCG	The vaccine strain
M. caprae	Tuberculosis in bovines and other animals; humans are infected through the same pathways as for M. bovis
M. microti	Tuberculosis in rodents, rarely other animals and humans
M. canettii	Human infection, not detected in animals
M. africanum	Human tuberculosis, rarely in animals
M. pinnipedii	Tuberculosis in pinnipeds; animals bred in captivity are the main source of infection for caregivers
M. avium complex
M. avium subsp. avium (serotypes 1–3)	Avian tuberculosis, mycobacterioses in pigs and humans
M. avium subsp. hominissuis (serotypes 4–6, 8–11, and 21)	Pig tuberculosis, human mycobacterioses
M. intracellulare (serotypes 7, 12–20, and 22–28)	Human infections
M. colombiense	Human infections
M. chimaera	Human and animal infections
M. arosiense	Human infection
M. marseillense	Human infection
M. vulneris	Human infection
M. timonense	Human infection
M. bouchedurhonense	?

?: yet to be confirmed.