Wildlife immune responses to Mycobacterium bovis and to Bacille of Calmette-Guerin

Authors: Boggiatto, Paola; Kanipe, Carly; Putz, Ellie; Olsen, Steven; Palmer, Mitchell

Submitted to: Journal of Immunology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/28/2023
Publication Date: 10/15/2023
Citation: Boggiatto, P.M., Kanipe, C.R., Putz, E.J., Olsen, S.C., Palmer, M.V. 2023. Wildlife immune responses to Mycobacterium bovis and to Bacille of Calmette-Guerin. Journal of Immunology. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.2300323.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.2300323

Interpretive Summary: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a bacterial disease that affects multiple veterinary species and represents a threat to animal health and has a major economic impact to livestock producers worldwide. Additionally, bTB can affect humans due to its zoonotic nature, thereby also impacting human health around the globe. While most affected countries have been able to control the disease in their domestic cattle herds, the disease continues to be a problem in areas where a wildlife reservoir exists. Reservoirs of disease can maintain within and transmit the infection back to domestic animals. Primary wildlife reservoirs for bTB include the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) in Great Britain and Ireland, the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in Australia and New Zealand, wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Spain, as well as white tailed deer (Odocoileous virginianus) in the United States and red deer (Cervus elaphus) throughout parts of Europe. While all these reservoir species share the ability to infect domestic livestock, they vastly differ in transmission, disease pathogenesis, diagnostic testing, and response and strategies for vaccination. In this review, the bovine tuberculosis interactions with these principal reservoir species is discussed, illustrating a need to understand and control bTB disease in wildlife hosts before eradication in domestic animals can be achieved. This review paper will be of interest to bTB researchers, producers, veterinarians and regulatory staff interested in controlling this disease.

Technical Abstract: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic bacterial disease presenting veterinary and economic threats to animal and human health, and livestock producers around the globe. While cattle producers rely on regular testing and management practices to minimize domestic herd exposure, wildlife reservoir species around the world continue to be the main contributor toward disease persistence. Primary wildlife reservoirs for bTB include the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) in Great Britain and Ireland, the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in Australia and New Zealand, wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Spain, as well as white tailed deer (Odocoileous virginianus) in the United States and red deer (Cervus elaphus) throughout parts of Europe. While all these reservoir species share the ability to infect domestic livestock, they vastly differ in transmission, disease pathogenesis, diagnostic testing, and response and strategies for vaccination. In this review, the bovine tuberculosis interactions with these principal reservoir species is discussed, illustrating a need to understand and control bTB disease in wildlife hosts before eradication in domestic animals can be achieved.