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, Mitchell
  Submitted to: Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 6/4/2013
                                    Publication  Date: 11/1/2013
                                    Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58893Citation: Palmer, M.V. 2013. Mycobacterium bovis:  Characteristics of wildlife reservoir hosts. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 60(1):1-13.Interpretive Summary: Tuberculosis in animal, and sometimes humans, is caused by the bacteria known as Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). Since 1917 the US, like many countries, has been working to eliminate tuberculosis from cattle. These efforts have been made more difficult by the presence of tuberculosis in wildlife, specifically white-tailed deer in Michigan, USA. Tuberculosis in wildlife acts as a continuous source (reservoir) of disease for cattle herds located in areas where tuberculous wildlife exist. Persistent deer to cattle transmission of disease make elimination from cattle impossible. World-wide, other recognized wildlife reservoirs of M. bovis include the brushtail possum in New Zealand, European badger in Great Britain and Ireland, African buffalo in South Africa, and wild boar in the Iberian Peninsula. There may be one or many wildlife reservoirs in any given situation. Circumstances with multiple wildlife reservoirs create complex systems with transmission among and between multiple potential reservoir hosts. Identifying wildlife reservoir hosts is critical as disease control efforts are most effectively aimed at reservoir hosts and should not be limited to cattle.
                                Technical Abstract: Mycobacterium bovis is the cause of tuberculosis in animals and sometimes humans. Many countries have long-standing programs to eradicate tuberculosis in livestock, principally cattle. As disease prevalence in cattle decreases, eradication efforts are impeded by passage of M. bovis from wildlife to cattle. Disease can persist in wildlife maintenance (reservoir) hosts through intraspecies disease transmission, without contributions from a different infected animal host species. Recognized wildlife reservoir hosts of M. bovis include the brushtail possum in New Zealand, European badger in Great Britain and Ireland, African buffalo in South Africa, wild boar in the Iberian Peninsula, and white-tailed deer in Michigan, USA. In some cases there is a single wildlife reservoir host involved in transmission of M. bovis to cattle; however, in some countries there are complex multi-host situations with transmission among and between multiple potential reservoir host species. In both single- and multi-host epidemiological systems there are often spillover host species that become infected, but do not contribute to the overall epidemiology of disease. Identifying reservoir host species is critical as disease eradication or control efforts are most effectively aimed at reservoir hosts.


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