Results of follow-up of human contacts of bovine tuberculosis in cattle during 1993-7 in North Staffordshire

The purpose of the study was to describe the results of follow up of human contacts of bovine tuberculosis. The bovine tuberculosis cases occurred on farms in North Staffordshire between 1993 and 1997. A total of 162 people w ere identified as having close contact with cattle diagnosed as having bovi ne tuberculosis, or who had drunk unpasteurized milk from a herd with bovin e tuberculosis. A retrospective review of chest clinic notes was performed. One hundred and thirty-eight people attended for follow up, and Heaf test results, necessity for chest X-ray and further clinical follow-up are descr ibed. No case of human Mycobacterium bovis infection was identified. It is suggested that follow-up of human contacts is limited to those with close c ontact with herds who have bovine tuberculosis and cattle with visible pulm onary lesions or evidence of udder infection. Children on the farms with af fected cattle should also be offered BCG in advance of the routine school's programme.