Mycobacteria in Terrestrial Small Mammals on Cattle Farms in Tanzania

Table 1

Interpretation of possible differences in prevalences of mycobacteria in small mammals in relation to the reactor status of the farm on which the small mammals were collected.

Analysis in relation to	Possible difference in prevalence of mycobacteria in small mammals collected in reacting and nonreacting farms	Indication on transmission direction and the involvement of other source(s) of infection*
(1) Current reactor status	(a) No difference	Transmission between small mammals and cattle might occur, but cattle and small mammals probably have a different source of infection
	(b) Higher prevalence in currently reacting as compared to non reacting farms	Transmission between small mammals and cattle might occur, but common source of infection more probable.
	(c) Higher prevalence in currently nonreacting as compared to reacting farms	Transmission between small mammals and cattle might occur, but cattle and small mammals probably have a different source of infection
(2) Future reactor status	(a) No difference	Transmission from small mammals to cattle might occur, but cattle also has another source of infection
	(b) Higher prevalence in future reacting as compared to non reacting farms	Tranmission from small mammals to cattle may occur, either directly or indirectly
	(c) Higher prevalence in future nonreacting as compared to reacting farms	Transmission from small mammals to cattle might occur, but cattle has another, probably more important, source of infection
(3) Past reactor status	(a) No difference	Transmission from cattle to small mammals might occur, but small mammals also have another source of infection
	(b) Higher prevalence in past reacting as compared to non reacting farms	Transmission from cattle to small mammals may occur, either directly or indirectly
	(c) Higher prevalence in past nonreacting as compared to reacting farms	Transmission from cattle to small mammals might occur, but small mammals have another, probably more important, source of infection

*Another source of infection can be other wild or domestic animals, the environment, or humans.