U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research: Ames, IA
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    CareersSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area Ames, Iowa National Animal Disease Center Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Palmer, Mitchellitem
                                            Thacker, Tyleritem
                                            Waters, Wadeitem
                                            ROBBE-AUSTERMAN, SUELEE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)item
                                            SEMAKALENG, LEBEPE-MAZUR - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)item
                                            HARRIS, N - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
  Submitted to: Zoonoses and Public Health
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2010
                                    Publication  Date: 12/1/2010
                                    Citation: Palmer, M.V., Thacker, T.C., Waters, W.R., Robbe-Austerman, S., Semakaleng, L., Harris, N.B. 2010. Persistence of Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) after oral or parenteral vaccination. Zoonoses and Public Health. 57(7-8):e206-e212.Interpretive Summary: Mycobacterium bovis is the cause of tuberculosis in cattle and a serious human pathogen, most commonly contracted through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. To control this disease, many countries have developed bovine tuberculosis control programs. Although relatively successful, efforts are hindered in some regions by spillover of M. bovis from infected wildlife to cattle. Such is the case in the United States where spillover of M.bovis from free-ranging white-tailed deer to cattle occurs. One approach to control such interspecies transmission is vaccination of wildlife. The human vaccine M.bovis BCG has been shown to reduce disease severity in white-tailed deer; however, vaccine persisted within tissues longer than expected. Consumption of venison containing BCG by hunters may present a public health concern as BCG exposure, although unlikely to cause disease, could cause false positive tuberculin skin test results. To further examine BCG persistence, forty-two white-tailed deer were vaccinated orally or subcutaneously (SC) with BCG. Three deer from each group were euthanized and examined at time periods ranging from 2 weeks to 11 months after vaccination. BCG was recovered from orally vaccinated deer as late as 3 months after vaccination, while BCG persisted in SC vaccinated deer for as long as 9 months. Prolonged persistence of BCG was seen only in lymph nodes and at no time was BCG isolated from meat. Although vaccine persistence was noted, especially in SC vaccinated deer, the distribution of culture positive tissues makes human exposure through consumption unlikely.
                                Technical Abstract: Mycobacterium bovis is the cause of tuberculosis in cattle and a serious zoonotic pathogen, most commonly contracted through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. To control this zoonosis, many countries have developed bovine tuberculosis eradication programs. Although relatively successful, efforts are hindered in some regions by spillover from wildlife reservoirs of M.bovis to cattle. Such is the case in the United States where spillover of M.bovis from free-ranging white-tailed deer to cattle occurs. One approach to control such interspecies transmission is vaccination of wildlife. The human vaccine M.bovis BCG has been shown to reduce disease severity in white-tailed deer; however, vaccine persistence within tissues has also been noted. Consumption of venison containing BCG by hunters may present a public health concern as BCG exposure, although unlikely to cause disease, could cause false positive tuberculin skin test results. To further examine BCG persistence, forty-two white-tailed deer were vaccinated orally or subcutaneously with BCG. Three deer from each group were euthanized and examined at time periods ranging from 2 weeks to 11 months after vaccination. BCG was recovered from orally vaccinated deer as late as 3 months after vaccination, while BCG persisted in SC vaccinated deer for as long as 9 months. Prolonged persistence of BCG was seen only in lymphoid organs and at no time was BCG isolated from meat. Although vaccine persistence was noted, especially in SC vaccinated deer, the distribution of culture positive tissues makes human exposure through consumption unlikely.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov