Environmental mycobacteria or MOTT include a large number of species that can cause serious illnesses in

humans, particularly in immunocompromised patients [27]. For example, Mycobacterium interjectum has been identified as a causative agent of cervical lymphadenitis in children [28], and of cutaneous infections in immunosuppressed patients [29]. M. xenopi may cause pulmonary disease in humans [30], and M. scrofulaceum may cause cutaneous infections and lymphadenitis [27]. In humans, risk factors for MOTT infections include immunosuppression, contaminated water and aerosol exposure, and short or old age [27–29]. MOTT are widely distributed in the environment, particularly BIIB057 cell line in wet soil, marshland, streams, rivers and estuaries, but each species shows different preferences [31]. Because of its habitat characteristics, extension and their sizeable wild and domestic animal populations, Doñana National Park (DNP) in Southern Spain has been proposed as a good natural laboratory for studying wildlife mycobacteriosis [21, 32]. Molecular typing of M. bovis isolates for the period 1998-2003

showed that wildlife species in DNP were infected only with those M. bovis typing patterns (TPs) that were more prevalent in local cattle. Furthermore, the results were suggestive of micro-evolutionary events in the local M. bovis population [32]. In the same period, M. bovis selleck chemicals llc infection prevalence in DNP was 33% in European Selleckchem BI 10773 wild boar (Sus scrofa), 21% in red deer (Cervus elaphus), and 26% in fallow deer (Dama dama) [32]. In a more recent study, we confirmed infection with M. bovis in 52% wild boar, 27%

red deer and 18% fallow deer from DNP in 2006-2007, and evidenced that M. bovis prevalence decreased from North to South in wild boar and red deer, whereas no clear spatial pattern was observed for fallow Abiraterone molecular weight deer [21]. Three wild ungulates coexist in DNP, wild boar, fallow deer and red deer, along with domestic cattle subjected to bTB eradication programs. We included the wild species as our study models as all are highly susceptible to bTB and are known to show high prevalence in the area [21]. In addition, their different ecology and behavior peculiarities [33] can play a role in the epidemiology of mycobacteria, for example, variations in sociability or gregariousness, and scavenging habits. In addition, different habitats could provide variable environmental suitability for M. bovis persistence [6, 34]. In this sense, scrublands and woodlands are preferably used by red deer and wild boar compared with fallow deer [35–37]. In this study we used molecular epidemiological techniques to establish the extent of M. bovis strain richness and other environmental mycobacterial species in isolates collected in wildlife and cattle from the DNP, so as the association with social, spatial and environmental factors in this multi-host and multi-pathogen situation.