Risk of tuberculosis spreading from cattle to people in South India

Estimation of risk associated with zoonotic tuberculosis in South India

['FUNDING_R01'] · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE · NIH-11257339

This project looks at how often and how people catch tuberculosis from cattle in South India, especially through close contact and drinking unpasteurized milk.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorPENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (UNIVERSITY PARK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11257339 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you live near cattle or drink raw milk in South India, the team will test animals and people for tuberculosis bacteria and compare the results. They will collect samples from cattle and from people, sequence the bacterial DNA to see whether infections match, and gather information about milk consumption and animal contact. Researchers will combine lab findings with surveys and farm observations to estimate which activities and settings raise the risk of transmission. The work is meant to identify where and how tuberculosis spills over from cattle into people so prevention can be targeted.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are people in South India who live with or work closely with cattle or who regularly consume unpasteurized milk, such as farmers, dairy workers, and household members.

Not a fit: People in areas without bovine TB exposure, those whose TB is clearly from human-to-human spread, or people outside the study regions are unlikely to benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help prevent TB infections from cattle by guiding testing, milk-safety, and animal-control measures that protect communities.

How similar studies have performed: Similar field sampling and genetic-testing approaches have detected zoonotic TB in other countries, but India-specific data are limited and this project seeks to fill that gap.

Where this research is happening

UNIVERSITY PARK, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Bovine Diseases, Cattle Diseases, Disease, Disorder

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.