Search

The population genetic structure of free‐ranging species is expected to reflect landscape‐level effects. Quantifying the role of these factors and their relative contribution often has important implications for wildlife management. The population genetics of the European badger (Meles meles) have received considerable attention, not least because the species acts as a potential wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Britain and Ireland. Herein, we detail the most comprehensive population and landscape genetic study of the badger in Ireland to date—comprised of 454 Irish badger samples, genotyped at 14 microsatellite loci. Bayesian and multivariate clustering methods demonstrated continuous clinal variation across the island, with potentially distinct differentiation observed in Northern Ireland. Landscape genetic analyses identified geographic distance and elevation as the primary drivers of genetic differentiation, in keeping with badgers exhibiting high levels of philopatry. Other factors hypothesized to affect gene flow, including earth worm habitat suitability, land cover type, and the River Shannon, had little to no detectable effect. By providing a more accurate picture of badger population structure and the factors effecting it, these data can guide current efforts to manage the species in Ireland and to better understand its role in bTB. We present the results of a landscape and population genetics study on Irish badgers. We found overall clinal genetic variation across the island and influence of elevation and geographic distance on badger gene flow. Earthworm availability had a modest effect on gene flow. These results provide valuable information for management of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying competing ethical theories to the issue of bovine TB and badger culling can throw light on the validity of the policy options. Utilitarianism is, superficially at least, an attractive option. However, the aggregative principle is problematic and this is well illustrated in the case of bovine TB and badger culling. Such is the variety and strength of interests to be considered that it is not at all clear which course of action will maximise utility. In addition, it may be that the full range of consequences can never be known with any degree of accuracy. An alternative option is to revert to an animal welfare ethic. This has the effect of cutting down the moral complexities involved in a discussion of bovine TB and badger culling, since, providing it is done humanely, killing badgers is not an ethical issue, and even the infliction of suffering on them is permissible providing it serves a significant human benefit. The animal welfare ethic, however, is normatively inadequate because it exaggerates the ethical importance of personhood. Because of this, it allows us to justify killing badgers, and might even justify the infliction of considerable suffering if by so doing there is a good chance that economic benefits will accrue. As a result, a deontological position, where animals are accorded the protection of rights, seems a much more promising alternative to utilitarianism. The adoption of any variety of animal rights would render badger culling morally illegitimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science has a powerful role in society. It can fuel innovation, shape policy and influence public opinion. However, science can also be highly controversial and subject to substantial disagreement and debate. Such debates are often evident in the media which regularly reports on areas of disagreement and debate. This article draws on the case-study of bovine tuberculosis (b TB), which has become a highly politicised issue in recent years, to explore media representation of public knowledge controversies. The disease has received substantial policy and media attention, particularly in relation to badgers and their role in its spread. This article focuses on the ways in which the various debates associated with b TB and its control are presented in the press, with a specific emphasis on badger vaccination. An in-depth discourse analysis compares regional, national and farming press, and identifies a number of complex dualisms against which the debate is framed. These dualisms help to explain the unclear policy direction and constant divisions between those who do and do not support badger vaccination, and the continued status of b TB control as a public knowledge controversy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes substantial economic losses to cattle farmers and taxpayers in the British Isles. Disease management in cattle is complicated by the role of the European badger (Meles meles) as a host of the infection. Proactive, non-selective culling of badgers can reduce the incidence of disease in cattle but may also have negative effects in the area surrounding culls that have been associated with social perturbation of badger populations. The selective removal of infected badgers would, in principle, reduce the number culled, but the effects of selective culling on social perturbation and disease outcomes are unclear. We used an established model to simulate non-selective badger culling, non-selective badger vaccination and a selective trap and vaccinate or remove (TVR) approach to badger management in two distinct areas: South West England and Northern Ireland. TVR was simulated with and without social perturbation in effect. The lower badger density in Northern Ireland caused no qualitative change in the effect of management strategies on badgers, although the absolute number of infected badgers was lower in all cases. However, probably due to differing herd density in Northern Ireland, the simulated badger management strategies caused greater variation in subsequent cattle bTB incidence. Selective culling in the model reduced the number of badgers killed by about 83% but this only led to an overall benefit for cattle TB incidence if there was no social perturbation of badgers. We conclude that the likely benefit of selective culling will be dependent on the social responses of badgers to intervention but that other population factors including badger and cattle density had little effect on the relative benefits of selective culling compared to other methods, and that this may also be the case for disease management in other wild host populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of historical importance to human health in the UK that remains a major animal health and economic issue. Control of the disease in cattle is complicated by the presence of a reservoir species, the Eurasian badger. In spite of uncertainty in the degree to which cattle disease results from transmission from badgers, and opposition from environmental groups, culling of badgers has been licenced in two large areas in England. Methods to limit culls to smaller areas that target badgers infected with TB whilst minimising the number of uninfected badgers culled is therefore of considerable interest. Here, we use historical data from a large-scale field trial of badger culling to assess two alternative hypothetical methods of targeting TB-infected badgers based on the distribution of cattle TB incidents: (i) a simple circular ‘ring cull’; and (ii) geographic profiling, a novel technique for spatial targeting of infectious disease control that predicts the locations of sources of infection based on the distribution of linked cases. Our results showed that both methods required coverage of very large areas to ensure a substantial proportion of infected badgers were removed, and would result in many uninfected badgers being culled. Geographic profiling, which accounts for clustering of infections in badger and cattle populations, produced a small but non-significant increase in the proportion of setts with TB-infected compared to uninfected badgers included in a cull. It also provided no overall improvement at targeting setts with infected badgers compared to the ring cull. Cattle TB incidents in this study were therefore insufficiently clustered around TB-infected badger setts to design an efficient spatially targeted cull; and this analysis provided no evidence to support a move towards spatially targeted badger culling policies for bovine TB control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a significant threat to the cattle industry in England and Wales. It is widely acknowledged that a combination of measures targeting both cattle and wildlife will be required to eradicate bovine TB or reduce its prevalence until European official freedom status is achieved. Vaccination of cattle and/or badgers could contribute to bovine TB control in Great Britain, although there are significant gaps in our knowledge regarding the impact that vaccination would actually have on bovine TB incidence. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that vaccination with BCG can reduce the progression and severity of TB in both badgers and cattle. This is encouraging in terms of the prospect of a sustained vaccination programme achieving reductions in disease prevalence; however, developing vaccines for tackling the problem of bovine TB is challenging, time-consuming and resource-intensive, as this review article sets out to explain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal domestic maintenance host for Mycobacterium bovis is infected cattle. In countries where comprehensive surveillance schemes have been applied, tuberculosis rarely affects an animal to the extent that it presents with clinical disease. In the latter stages of an eradication campaign, the aim is to maintain the disease-free status of clear herds and eliminate foci of infection in herds as well as restricting movement of infected animals from these herds, other than to slaughter. However, the eradication of tuberculosis from cattle herds may be compromised if infected wildlife species, such as Eurasian badgers ( Meles meles), share the same environment and contribute to transmission of infection. The options for dealing with tuberculosis in the wildlife reservoir hosts are limited to segregation of domestic animals from the wildlife, culling of the wildlife host or vaccination. Options are further limited by conservation and social reasons, particularly where culling is concerned. In Ireland and the UK, vaccination of badgers against M. bovis, if successfully employed, could directly facilitate the completion of bovine tuberculosis eradication. Programmes of research into vaccination of badgers are being undertaken in both countries, and there is clear evidence that vaccination induces protection. Vaccine trials in captive badgers have established that the M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin ( BCG) vaccine can induce a protective response that limits the distribution and severity of tuberculosis disease following experimental challenge. In Ireland, a large-scale field trial of oral BCG vaccination is being conducted to measure the protection generated in wild badgers subjected to natural transmission of infection and to estimate vaccine efficacy. The results will provide a framework for the development and implementation of a national strategy to address the disease in badger populations and if successful will remove this major impediment to tuberculosis eradication from cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneity in the progression of disease amongst individual wild animals may impact on both pathogen and host dynamics at the population level, through differential effects on transmission, mortality and reproductive output. The role of the European badger ( Meles meles) as a reservoir host for Mycobacterium bovis infection in the UK and Ireland has been the focus of intense research for many years. Here, we investigate life-history correlates of infection in a high-density undisturbed badger population naturally infected with M. bovis. We found no evidence of a significant impact of M. bovis infection on female reproductive activity or success, with evidence of reproduction continuing successfully for several years in the face of M. bovis excretion. We also found evidence to support the hypothesis that female badgers are more resilient to established M. bovis infection than male badgers, with longer survival times following the detection of bacterial excretion. We discuss the importance of infectious breeding females in the persistence of M. bovis in badger populations, and how our findings in male badgers are consistent with testosterone-induced immunosuppression. In addition, we found significant weight loss in badgers with evidence of disseminated infection, based on the culture of M. bovis from body systems other than the respiratory tract. For females, there was a gradual loss of weight as infection progressed, whereas males only experienced substantial weight loss when infection had progressed to the point of dissemination. We discuss how these differences may be explained in terms of resource allocation and physiological trade-offs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In France, several surveillance programmes have been carried out to monitor the presence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in badgers in regions where cattle or wildlife show high bTB prevalence (Seine-Maritime, Côte d'Or, Dordogne/Charente). Diagnostic methods include post-mortem examination, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or microbiological culture. The frequency of visible lesions was significantly higher in Dordogne/Charente (14/283, 4.9 %) than in Côte d'Or (19/1146, 1.7 %) and Seine-Maritime (2/160, 1.25 %) (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.001). Lesions were mainly located in cephalic and thoracic lymph nodes with one badger showing generalised tuberculosis. Near infected cattle farms or pastures, Mycobacterium bovis was detected using the culture method in roughly 1 % (1/103) of the badgers sampled in Seine-Maritime and in 5.6 % (49/878) of the badgers sampled in Côte d'Or. In Dordogne/Charente, the prevalence determined by PCR was 13.3 % (29/218). M. bovis was not found in badgers trapped in areas where there are no infected cattle. Spoligotyping and multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis showed that all M. bovis strains isolated from badgers were of the same genotype as those isolated from cattle in the vicinity, demonstrating an epidemiological link between both species. These are the first cases of bTB in badgers reported in France. Further surveys and research are needed to investigate the role badgers play in the epidemiology of bTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most serious animal diseases affecting the cattle industry in the UK. The badger is a well recognised wildlife reservoir of TB and therefore controlling the spread of this disease from badgers to cattle is a key requirement for eradicating the disease in cattle. BadgerBCG, the first TB vaccine for use in badgers, has been shown to reduce the severity of disease in individuals and reduce the shedding of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of TB. Despite limited use, there is much media and public interest in badger vaccination and it is very possible that veterinary surgeons will be asked to provide advice on its use. This article explains the practicalities of the use of BadgerBCG, the role of the veterinary surgeon in prescribing and directing the use of the vaccine, and the role of lay vaccinators and how they can work to vaccinate badgers under the direction of the veterinary surgeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ireland and in the UK, bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infects cattle and wildlife badgers (Meles meles linnaeus) and badgers contribute to the spread of the disease in cattle. Isotropic and anisotropic spatio-temporal models are fitted to cattle herd and badger sett bTB incidence data from the Four Area Project using sequences of linear geostatistical models. An association was found between the spatial distribution of the disease in cattle and badgers in two of three areas. The limited association may be due to irregularity of sett territories, fragmentation of farms, TB-test insensitivity, temporal lags associated with transmission or non-spatial transmission. A statistical methodology is outlined whereby hypotheses related to spatial correlation structure may be tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this sequel to an article on the badger-cull published in the April issue of 2010, the author provides an update on what is happening to the culls announced for North Pembrokeshire and for England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the parvovirus infection in Eurasian badger cubs that causes enteric pathology associated with acute diarrhea and death in Great Britain. It is suggested that mammalian reovirus infection aggravates the infection in synergism with other pathogens. The severity of these cases were caused by dual infection.

In a survey, 457 badgers that had been found dead in Wales were postmortem-examined, and samples were examined by histology and by extended culture (for up to 12 weeks). Mycobacterium bovis was cultured from 55 badgers (12.0 per cent), and the histology typical of M bovis infection was seen in a further six (1.3 per cent). The prevalence in badgers in each of 10 geographical areas varied between 0 and 26 per cent (P<0.001), and was associated with the incidence of confirmed M bovis infection in cattle herds in the same areas (P<0.01). In northern Wales, bTB was rare in both hosts. An infected badger was 12.3 times more likely to be within 5 km of a confirmed cattle bTB breakdown than an uninfected badger. The M bovis isolates from badgers belonged to one of four genotypes defined by spoligotype and variable number tandem repeat type. These genotypes were also found in 290 concurrent confirmed herd breakdowns, and tended to be similar to the genotypes in badgers in the same geographical areas. When badgers and cattle no more than 30 km apart were compared, the genotype diversity was greater in cattle than in badgers (P=0.016), suggesting that the movement of cattle plays a greater part in the spatial distribution of M bovis than the movement of badgers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines UK farmers' levels of confidence in vaccinating badgers against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and their trust in the Government's ability to deal with bTB. In 2010, a badger vaccine based on the BCG vaccine was licensed following field trials and used as part of the UK Government's Badger Vaccination Deployment Project. A stratified random sample of cattle farmers in five different locations of England was surveyed using a telephone survey to elicit their views of badger vaccination. The survey provided a total of 341 responses with a response rate of 80 per cent. Results suggest that the farmers are cautious about badger vaccination, appearing to be neither overly confident nor unconfident in it. However, the farmers did not reveal high levels of trust in the Government to manage bTB policy or badger vaccination. There were no differences in the levels of confidence or trust between farms that were under bTB restrictions at the time of the survey and those that were not or between farms with historically high levels of bTB. Analysis of principal components suggests that 33 per cent of the farmers accepted badger vaccination, but that acceptance is dependent on the wider social and political environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The management of many pathogens, which are of concern to humans and their livestock, is complicated by the pathogens' ability to cross-infect multiple host species, including wildlife. This has major implications for the management of such diseases, since the dynamics of infection are dependent on the rates of both intra- and inter-specific transmission. However, the difficulty of studying transmission networks in free-living populations means that the relative opportunities for intra- versus inter-specific disease transmission have not previously been demonstrated empirically within any wildlife-livestock disease system. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using recently-developed proximity data loggers, we quantify both intra-and interspecific contacts in a wildlife-livestock disease system, using bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in badgers and cattle in the UK as our example. We assess the connectedness of individuals within the networks in order to identify whether there are certain 'high-risk' individuals or groups of individuals for disease transmission within and between species. Our results show that contact patterns in both badger and cattle populations vary widely, both between individuals and over time. We recorded only infrequent interactions between badger social groups, although all badgers fitted with data loggers were involved in these inter-group contacts. Contacts between badgers and cattle occurred more frequently than contacts between different badger groups. Moreover, these inter-specific contacts involved those individual cows, which were highly connected within the cattle herd. Conclusions/Significance: This work represents the first continuous time record of wildlife-host contacts for any free-living wildlife-livestock disease system. The results highlight the existence of specific individuals with relatively high contact rates in both livestock and wildlife populations, which have the potential to act as hubs in the spread of disease through complex contact networks. Targeting testing or preventive measures at high-contact groups and individuals within livestock populations would enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of disease management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Bovine tuberculosis (TB) occurs in cattle and badgers in the UK and control efforts are undertaken to reduce the spread of the disease. 2. This study evaluates relationships predicted by nine epidemiological two-host models of disease spread generated by various combinations of density-dependent, frequency-dependent and environmental pathogen transmission. The relationships of interest are between measures of TB in cattle and in badgers from 10 sites which were randomly selected to be proactive badger culling sites in the UK Randomized Badger Culling Trial. The data are from the initial badger cull only. 3. There was most support (Akaike weight = 0·562, R2 = 0·869) for models that predicted a positive linear relationship between density of infectious cattle per square kilometre and the density index of infectious badgers. There was less support (Akaike weight = 0·060) for a model that predicted a positive linear relationship between density of infectious cattle per square kilometre and the proportion of badgers infectious with Mycobacterium bovis. A correction to reduce effects of badger carcase storage and an examination of effects of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic had little impact on estimated relationships. 4. Synthesis and applications. The results provide support for two-host disease models of TB in cattle and wildlife such as badgers, although the form of disease transmission cannot be identified clearly by these analyses. The implication of the results is that the best-fitting models predict that, in the absence of intervention-related changes in badger behaviour, a reduction in density of infectious badgers should reduce the density of infectious cattle. However, analysis of bait-marking data collected following experimental badger culls indicated that culling badgers profoundly alters their spatial organization as well as their population density, potentially influencing contact rates. Effective vaccination of badgers, were it to become available, would be expected to reduce the density of infectious badgers without directly affecting their behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Mycobacterium bovis is endemic in badger (Meles meles) populations of Ireland and the United Kingdom and infected badgers are a potential source of infection for cattle. In domestic livestock tuberculosis causes economic losses from lost production and the costs associated with eradication programmes, and in addition there is a risk of zoonotic infection. Whereas culling is currently used to control tuberculous badger populations in Ireland, vaccination, if it were available, would be preferred. A study was undertaken to examine the protective responses of badgers vaccinated either by the subcutaneous or mucosal (intranasal and conjunctival) routes with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), when challenged with M. bovis by the endobronchial route. Three groups of badgers were used. The first group (n =4) was vaccinated with ∼5×105 colony forming units (cfu) of BCG by subcutaneous injection. In the second group (n =5) badgers were vaccinated via the mucosal route by instilling 1.0×105 cfu into each conjunctival sac and spraying 1.0×105 cfu into each nostril (final vaccine dose of 4×105 cfu). The control (n =5) badgers served as a non-vaccinated group. Twelve weeks post-vaccination all badgers in the three groups were challenged with ∼104 cfu of M. bovis by endobronchial inoculation. At 12weeks post-infection all badgers were examined post-mortem to assess the pathological and bacteriological responses to challenge. Gross and histological lesions of tuberculosis were seen in all challenged badgers and M. bovis was recovered from all challenged badgers. However, across six of the eight parameters used to measure disease severity, the infection in the vaccinated badgers was significantly less severe than in the control group. The BCG vaccine induced a significant protective effect in the badgers and the protective immunity was generated by subcutaneous and mucosal vaccination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Thirty-six farms in parishes in western England that had recently experienced herd breakdowns of bovine tuberculosis were surveyed for signs of badger activity and for husbandry practices relating to the access of badgers to the farm buildings and facilities. Signs of activity were detected within the farmyards and buildings of 14 of the farms and were associated with water troughs at pasture on two of them. Few of the farmers implemented practices to reduce contact between badgers and cattle. Stored cattle feed was freely accessible to wild animals in 88 per cent of the feed stores. Two badger carcases, and two of 66 samples of badger droppings, cultured positive for Mycobacterium bovis. Signs of badgers within farmyards were significantly positively associated with the number of badger setts and latrines in the immediate vicinity, but were not related to any recorded farm husbandry procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies an attribute-based stated choice experiment approach to estimate the value that society places on changes to the size of the badger population in England and Wales. The study was undertaken in the context of a rising incidence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle and the government's review of current bTB control policy. This review includes consideration of culling badgers to reduce bTB in cattle, since badgers are thought to be an important wildlife reservoir for the disease. The design of the CE involved four attributes (size of badger population, cattle slaughtered due to bTB, badger management strategy and household tax) at four levels with eight choice sets of two alternatives presented to respondents. Telephone interviews were undertaken with over 400 respondents, which elicited their attitudes and preferences concerning badgers, bTB in cattle and badger management strategies. The study estimated a willingness to pay of £0.10 per household per year per 100,000 badgers and £1.52 per household per year per 10,000 cattle slaughtered due to bTB which aggregated to £22 per badger and £3298 per bTB slaughtered animal for all households in England and Wales. Management strategy toward badgers had a very high valuation, highlighting the emotive issue of badger culling for respondents and the importance of government policy towards badgers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis in badgers was made in four selected areas of the Republic of Ireland in which an intensive badger removal programme was being carried out over a period of five years. Tissue samples from 2310 badgers were cultured. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with IS110, polymorphic cc-rich sequence (PGRS) and direct repeat sequence (DR) probes was applied to the isolates from 398 badgers, and 52 different RFLP types were identified. Most of the isolates belonged to seven predominant types, and the other 45 types were represented by few isolates. An analysis suggests that some of these 45 types may have been introduced by the inward migration of badgers and others may have been the result of genetic changes to one of the prevalent types. The badgers were divided into groups on the basis of the sett at which they were captured, and RFLP typing was applied to isolates from two or more badgers from 85 groups. Multiple RFLP types were identified among isolates from 50 of these groups, suggesting that badgers probably moved frequently between group territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first report of Aelurostrongylus falciformis (Schlegel 1933) in Fennoscandian badgers is described. Routine parasitological examination of nine Norwegian badgers, at the National Veterinary Institute during 2004 and 2005, identified A. falciformis in the terminal airways of five of the animals. The first stage larvae (L1) closely resembled, in size and morphology, those of Angiostrongylus vasorum (Baillet 1866). The diagnosis for both A. falciformis and A. vasorum is frequently based on the identification of L1 in faeces or sputum. The potential for misclassification of an A. falciformis infection as A. vasorum, where larval identification is the only diagnostic method used, is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: 1. The European badger (Meles meles) is implicated as a reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis (bovine TB) infection for cattle in Britain and Ireland. In the present study the spatio-temporal distribution of M. bovis infection was investigated. Analyses were carried out on data from a long-term epidemiological and ecological study of the dynamics of bovine TB in a wild population of badgers at Woodchester Park in south-west England. 2. During the 15 years of the capture–mark–recapture study (1982–96), 3316 trapping and post-mortem records were obtained from 1270 individual badgers. Annual prevalence of infection based on positive serological and bacterial tests varies between 10·3% and 17·7% of the population. 3. Infection was aggregated in social groups in the west of the study area, confirming the findings of previous studies. However, temporal trends in disease were not synchronized amongst neighbouring groups, suggesting low rates of disease transfer between them. 4. There was significant serial correlation in the disease status within groups over time, suggesting that infection persists for many years in some social groups. The presence of infectious adult female badgers in groups was associated with new infections, and provides further evidence for their importance in the maintenance of infection within groups. However, no statistically significant correlations were detected between the demographic characteristics of social groups and group infection status. 5. The distribution of disease reflects stable persistent foci of infection in the badger population, with limited evidence of transfer between social groups. The accurate identification of stable foci of infection would allow a range of management strategies for the control of bovine TB to be efficiently targeted in such populations. However, the extent to which this pattern of infection is representative of low-density and disturbed badger populations is unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, remains a serious animal health problem in the UK, despite longstanding statutory surveillance and control measures. Endemic infection in the Eurasian badger population is thought to complicate bTB eradication efforts. Sporadic cases of M bovis infection have also been reported in domestic animals other than cattle. Human M bovis infection is extremely rare in the native UK population in the absence of, unpasteurised milk consumption or residence abroad. Here, pulmonary TB infection in a UK born female and her pet dog is described, caused by an identical strain of M bovis. Latent TB infection was also identified in a household contact. The potential routes of infection and implications of this case are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to two letters regarding the challenges on how to control bovine tuberculosis (TB) and badgers.

The article focuses on the Badger Vaccination Fund offered by the Great Britain Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It states that the fund will be provided to eligible vaccination projects in Great Britain. It says that Defra will base on an applicant's ability in securing a Natural England vaccination license. Moreover, applicant's will not be required to have badger vaccination and trapping license to apply for a grant.

The article presents a research study from Queen Mary University of London in England which shows that the largest simulation to date of the numbers of badgers and cattle infected with tuberculosis (TB) casts doubts on the extent where badgers cause TB in cattle.

Information about the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) congress held in Southport, England from November 24-26, 2011 is presented. Topics include the opportunity for veterinary industry to help set the direction of surveillance, control methods that could be used for badgers and position on vaccines for badgers and cattle. The conference featured several notable people including Jane Gibbens, Robbie McDonald and David King.

The article reports that the badger cull in Wales remained on hold after the Badger Trust filed an appeal against a High Court ruling that the planned cull is lawful. Badger Trust appealed against the TB Eradication Order 2009, claiming that disease reduction expected from the cull is not sufficient and that the benefits and effects of cull on badgers have not been balanced. The views of Elin Jones, Welsh rural affairs minister, on badger cull are also cited.

The article reports on the announcement of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in northern Ireland that the test and vaccinate or remove (TVR) wildlife intervention project in the country for badgers will continue despite the worldwide shortage of BCG vaccine. Topics discussed include the high prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle, the project cost, and the statement from Michelle McIlveen, minister for agriculture, environment and rural affairs.

The article focuses on a report on the badger vaccination project undertaken in the Intensive Action Area in west Wales in 2015.

This article reports on the decision of Wales to suspend its project to vaccinate badgers against bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the Intensive Action Area in Wales following a global shortage of the BCG vaccine.

A letter to the editor is presented concerning the British advice body Natural England's approval of further licensed badger culls in 2015 in some parts of Great Britain to lower local badger densities by a minimum of 70 percent to prevent possible spread of tuberculosis (TB) to cattle and suggests the targets are unlikely to reduce TB.

The article reports on the completion of the fourth cycle of the seven planned cycles of the Welsh government's badger vaccination programme against bovine tuberculosis (TB) in 2015.

Bovine TB (bTB) is endemic in Irish cattle and has eluded eradication despite considerable expenditure, amid debate over the relative roles of badgers and cattle in disease transmission. Using a comprehensive dataset from Northern Ireland (>10,000 km2; 29,513 cattle herds), we investigated interactions between host populations in one of the first large-scale risk factor analyses for new herd breakdowns to combine data on both species. Cattle risk factors (movements, international imports, bTB history, neighbours with bTB) were more strongly associated with herd risk than area-level measures of badger social group density, habitat suitability or persecution (sett disturbance). Highest risks were in areas of high badger social group density and high rates of persecution, potentially representing both responsive persecution of badgers in high cattle risk areas and effects of persecution on cattle bTB risk through badger social group disruption. Average badger persecution was associated with reduced cattle bTB risk (compared with high persecution areas), so persecution may contribute towards sustaining bTB hotspots; findings with important implications for existing and planned disease control programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's (EFRACom) reactions to the British government's response to the committee's report of its investigation into badgers and bovine tuberculosis (TB) and the final report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle. The committee criticized the British government's decision to focus its energies and funding on the long-term goal of developing cattle and badger vaccines.

The article highlights a study that demonstrated that the probability of detecting Mycobacterium bovis by polymerase chain reaction in soil samples from the spoil heaps of main badger setts correlated with the prevalence of excretion of captured badgers belonging to the social group. The study included 22 contagious badger social group territories, where samples of feces, urine, sputum and bite wound swabs had been taken from live badgers for diagnosis by culture on up to four times each year.