''Mycobacterium suricattae'' is a species of the

tuberculosis complex The ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' complex (MTC or MTBC) is a genetically related group of ''Mycobacterium'' species that can cause tuberculosis in humans or other animals. It includes: * ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' * ''Mycobacterium africanu ...

of the genus ''

Mycobacterium ''Mycobacterium'' is a genus of over 190 species in the phylum Actinomycetota, assigned its own family, Mycobacteriaceae. This genus includes pathogens known to cause serious diseases in mammals, including tuberculosis ('' M. tuberculosis'') and ...

''. It causes tuberculosis in

meerkat MeerKAT, originally the Karoo Array Telescope, is a radio telescope consisting of 64 antennas in the Meerkat National Park, in the Northern Cape of South Africa. In 2003, South Africa submitted an expression of interest to host the Square Kilom ...

s, and was first identified from South African animals in 2013. Prior to this, it was considered to be synonymous with ''

Mycobacterium bovis ''Mycobacterium bovis'' is a slow-growing (16- to 20-hour generation time) aerobic bacterium and the causative agent of tuberculosis in cattle (known as bovine TB). It is related to ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'', the bacterium which causes tube ...

''.

Transmission and symptoms

''M. suricattae'' is transmitted by respiratory particles, bites and

allogrooming Social grooming is a behavior in which social animals, including humans, clean or maintain one another's body or appearance. A related term, allogrooming, indicates social grooming between members of the same species. Grooming is a major soci ...

. In addition to the lungs, the spleen and liver may be infected, and

submandibular lymph node The submandibular lymph nodes (submaxillary glands in older texts), three to six in number, are lymph nodes beneath the body of the mandible in the submandibular triangle, and rest on the superficial surface of the submandibular gland. One gland ...

swelling is a characteristic symptom. Lymph nodes may swell to the point of rupture, and infected animals almost invariably die within six months without intervention.

References

Actinomycetota Tuberculosis Carnivoran diseases {{Mycobacterium-stub