Bovine Tuberculosis in a Rural Greek Area: Within-Herd Prevalence and Risk Factors in 30 Tuberculosis Skin Test-Positive Herds

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic disease of major importance for cattle health, farm productivity, and public health. This study aimed to characterize the epidemiological features and assess their associations with farm characteristics of bovine tuberculosis-positive herds in a high-prevalence area of Greece. Apparent animal-level positivity for MBTC infection was evaluated in cattle from 30 infected farms in the Regional Unit of Florina, and patterns associated with positivity were explored. A total of 1464 animals were examined using the single intradermal tuberculin test, of which 563 were positive (38.46%). All skin test-positive animals were confirmed by PCR. After accounting for herd-level clustering, age group had the highest influence on positivity. Differences in positivity associated with production systems, husbandry categories, and co-infection with bacteria such as Mycoplasma bovis, which was identified in 12 animals, were observed but were not significant. Large differences were observed in positivity associated with proximity to the cross-border area, which, although not significant, indicated an interesting trend, suggesting that this parameter may be a potential risk factor for tuberculosis due to the different regulations. Overall, the findings indicate substantial variation between farms and highlight conditions linked with positivity within the infected herds. The results underscore the need for representative surveillance and improved monitoring approaches to better understand infection patterns and support evidence-based control strategies in similar livestock systems in rural areas.