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Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination reduces the severity and progression of tuberculosis in badgers.
- Source :
-
Proceedings. Biological sciences [Proc Biol Sci] 2011 Jun 22; Vol. 278 (1713), pp. 1913-20. Date of Electronic Publication: 2010 Dec 01. - Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- Control of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle has proven particularly challenging where reservoirs of infection exist in wildlife populations. In Britain and Ireland, control is hampered by a reservoir of infection in Eurasian badgers (Meles meles). Badger culling has positive and negative effects on bovine TB in cattle and is difficult, costly and controversial. Here we show that Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination of captive badgers reduced the progression, severity and excretion of Mycobacterium bovis infection after experimental challenge. In a clinical field study, BCG vaccination of free-living badgers reduced the incidence of positive serological test results by 73.8 per cent. In common with other species, BCG did not appear to prevent infection of badgers subjected to experimental challenge, but did significantly reduce the overall disease burden. BCG vaccination of badgers could comprise an important component of a comprehensive programme of measures to control bovine TB in cattle.
- Subjects :
- Animals
BCG Vaccine immunology
Cattle
England
Mustelidae blood
Mustelidae microbiology
Mycobacterium bovis immunology
Mycobacterium bovis pathogenicity
Tuberculosis, Bovine transmission
BCG Vaccine therapeutic use
Disease Reservoirs veterinary
Mustelidae immunology
Tuberculosis, Bovine prevention & control
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1471-2954
- Volume :
- 278
- Issue :
- 1713
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Proceedings. Biological sciences
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21123260
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.1953