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The risk to cattle from wildlife species other than badgers in areas of high herd breakdown risk - SE3010
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Description
Bovine tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis, is a zoonotic disease with a broad host range. Reservoirs of infection in wildlife such as the possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in New Zealand and the badger (Meles meles) in Britain and Ireland are implicated as persistent sources of reinfection of cattle and have hindered attempts to control the disease by herd test and slaughter programmes. Bovine TB is endemic in badger populations in the UK and infected individuals can survive and excrete bacilli for protracted periods. However, it is not clear whether other susceptible wildlife species are spill-over hosts in which the infection is not self-maintaining or whether they may constitute a source of infection for cattle and badgers. The effective targetting of disease control measures requires a greater understanding of the role of other wildlife species in the maintenance and transmission of M. bovis. The main objective of the present proposal is to assess the risk to cattle from wildlife species other than badgers in areas of high herd breakdown risk.
To date only limited studies have been undertaken on M. bovis infection levels in other wildlife species. Bacilli have been isolated in red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and fallow deer (Dama dama), fox (Vulpes vulpes), mink (Mustela vison), brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), ferret (Mustela furo), mole (Talpa europaea), and domestic cats (Felis catus). Prevalence levels were generally low, but non-systematic sampling and small sample sizes may have biased some studies. Furthermore, prevalence levels alone are unlikely to provide sufficient information to assess the potential risks of transmission to cattle. This will also be partly determined by host ecology, and the pathology and epidemiology of the disease in each species.
In the present proposal we aim to collect information on the distribution, frequency and pathology of M. bovis infection in a range of wildlife species, and to assess the risks they may pose to cattle by combining this with information on host ecology.
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Objective
Overall objectives of project
1. Survey for M. bovis infection in a range of wildlife species by post mortem examination and culture, to identify candidate species for more intensive study.
2. Describe M. bovis prevalence, severity of infection and sources of excretion in target species by post mortem examination.
3. Quantify the potential relative risks to cattle associated with M. bovis infection in several wildlife species by integration of ecological and epidemiological data.
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Project Documents
• Final Report : The risk to cattle from wildlife species other than badgers in areas of high breakdown risk
(130k)
• Final Report - Annex : Maps to final report
(1560k)
• Final Report - Annex : Tables to final report
(433k)
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Time-Scale and Cost
From:
2000
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To:
2004
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Cost: £762,623 |
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Contractor / Funded Organisations
Central Science Laboratory |
Keywords
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