A Study of the Types of Tubercle Bacilli Found in Human Tuberculosis in Alaska

Abstract

Account of investigation on the types of Mycobacterium tuberculosis responsible for the high prevalence of bone and joint tuberculosis in Alaska. In 180 cultures isolated from human cases of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, no bovine only human type bacilli were found. Of 5,114 cultures isolated by the Alaska Dept. of Health, all except one were of the human type. All this, and tuberculin tests of cattle indicate that the bovine type bacillus plays a minor role in the etiology of human tuberculosis in Alaska.