New fears as TB linked to pet dog

Concerns are growing after it emerged pet dogs as well as cats were behind a spate of cases of TB in humans.

In what is believed to be the first cases of their kind around the world, experts have warned the potentially lethal disease was being passed to humans by pets in the UK.

It is believed the outbreak of Mycobacterium bovis originated in badgers, an animal rife with the bug before being passed to domestic pets.

As two women in Berkshire came forward after catching TB from their pet kitten, it was reported yesterday that a youngster caught the disease from his dog in Gloucestershire.

Teenager Jessica Livings developed pneumonia and was rushed to hospital for treatment for severe lung damage after she contracted tuberculosis from her kitten last year.

The 19-year-old had to have emergency surgery with her mum Claire also picking up the disease although she contracted a dormant form of TB.

Scientists believe the pair contracted the disease when they were cleaning a wound on their family moggy, Onyx.

Jessica said: “I lost a stone and a half in five weeks, I was very ill and had fevers, cold sweats and hallucinations.

“I didn’t realise what was real and what wasn’t.”

She was reportedly diagnosed with the disease in October after a vet voiced concerns over an outbreak of TB among cats in the Newbury area of Berkshire.

Ms Livings was re-admitted to the Royal Berkshire Hospital last month, but is now classed as being at no risk of passing TB on.

Her mother said Onyx became ill and they discovered he had an open wound on his belly.

Despite taking him to the vet he died, but they had no idea it was TB.

Meanwhile, it was reported a youngster had caught tuberculosis from their dog in Gloucestershire. It is believed the youngster who lived with the animal has recovered from the disease.

The UK’s Health Protection Agency issued a statement where they said a vet practice diagnosed nine “unusual” cases of TB in domestic cats from separate households in Berkshire and Hampshire between December 2012 and April 2013.

The size of the outbreak cluster meant further investigations with the 39 people who were identified as having close contact with the cats offered screening.

Of the 24 who went ahead, it was identified in two cases Jessica and her mum.

Authorities said there have been no further cases of TB in cats reported in Berkshire or Hampshire since March 2013 and believed the risk of transmission from cats to humans was “very low”.

Dr Dilys Morgan from Public Health England said: “It’s important to remember this was a very unusual cluster of TB in domestic cats.

“M bovis is still uncommon in cats it mainly affects livestock animals.”

M bovis is carried by thousands of cows and badgers who cross-infect each other.

It is passed to domestic animals when they are bitten or scratched by badgers or come into close contact with their setts.