§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether samples from cattle, badgers or humans infected by bovine tuberculosis are tested for antibiotic resistance; and if they are, how many strains of antibiotic resistant tuberculosis have been found since 1990. [HL2845]
§ Lord DonoughueSamples from cattle and badgers, whereM. bovis is isolated, are not tested for antibiotic resistance. However, a feature, of M. bovis strains is their resistance to pyrazinamide.
All mycobacteria isolated from humans with tuberculosis are tested for antibiotic resistance. Between 1993 and 1997 there were an average of 42 M. bovis isolates reported from humans per year. A total of 24 were resistant to isoniazid, 4 to isoniazid and rifampicin and 1 to ethambutol during this time. Records are not available for years prior to 1993.