How animals can give you tuberculosis

In 2014, an estimated 9.6 million people were infected by tuberculosis, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Potentially fatal - 1.5 million died from it the same year, it is a disease known to be spread from human to human. But a subset of those contracting the disease today is getting it from infected animals.

Unbeknownst to many, tuberculosis can spread through your food, as well as the air, via infected animals. The most common culprits? Infected cattle. The most common source? Their infected food products, such as milk and cheese.

Cows and many other animals can harbour bovine tuberculosis (TB), a disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis - a close relative of the bacteria that cause human tuberculosis. Risk of human disease rises when animal infections are not controlled.

It has been seen that they are getting it from ingestion of unpasteurised milk itself, and also raw cheeses. Cattle found to be infected are typically slaughtered but in many low income countries there is no financial compensation for slaughtered cattle, so cases of Bovine TB are often not reported.