Evaluating the application of the dual path platform VetTB test for badgers (Meles meles) in the test and vaccinate or remove (TVR) wildlife research intervention project in Northern Ireland

Courcier, Emily; Pascual-Linaza, Ana V.; Arnold, Mark; McCormick, Carl; Corbett, David; O’Hagan, Maria; Collins, Shane F.; Trimble, Nigel; McGeown, Clare F.; McHugh, Geraldine E.; McBride, Kathryn R.; McNair, J.; Thompson, Suzan; Patterson, I A; Menzies, F. D.

doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.03.007

Cited by 20 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…As the sensitivity of the DPP for use in badgers during the TVR study has recently been quoted as 42% (95% 0.24–0.66) [24] (and the specificity as 89% (95% CI 86–92%), [24]), there is a possibility that the number of DPP positive badgers, and therefore culled badgers, is low due to non-perfect sensitivity. However, as the performance of the DPP VetTB test is comparable to established laboratory tests for M. bovis , it is therefore an appropriate method to use under field circumstances [24]. Further consideration needs to be given to whether the DPP test can differentiate between natural exposure to M. bovis and previous vaccination.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This finding is important for informing on the development of future bTB intervention strategies. The non-significant impact of a TVR approach on badger ranging behaviour, alongside the previously described logistics of a large-scale TVR intervention [20] and the feasibility of the DPP test [24], gives a holistic overview of the suitability of TVR as a wildlife-related bTB intervention option. By providing an alternative to culling all captured badgers, and inevitably healthy ones, TVR is a wildlife intervention option that should be considered for future research using replication and control areas in order to verify the current findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The DPP VetTB test is a single use, point of care, immune-chromatographic (lateral-flow) rapid test for the detection of antibodies to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. bovis in cervid serum. Whole blood was used to determine the badger's bTB status in the field [20, 24].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of selective removal of badgers (Meles meles) on ranging behaviour during a ‘Test and Vaccinate or Remove’ intervention in Northern Ireland

O’Hagan¹,

Gordon

McCormick³

et al. 2021

Epidemiol. Infect.

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The role of the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) as a wildlife host has complicated the management of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. Badger ranging behaviour has previously been found to be altered by culling of badgers and has been suggested to increase the transmission of bTB either among badgers or between badgers and cattle. In 2014, a five-year bTB intervention research project in a 100 km 2 area in Northern Ireland was initiated involving selective removal of dual path platform (DPP) VetTB (immunoassay) test positive badgers and vaccination followed by release of DPP test negative badgers ('Test and Vaccinate or Remove'). Home range sizes, based on position data obtained from global positioning system collared badgers, were compared between the first year of the project, where no DPP test positive badgers were removed, and follow-up years 2-4 when DPP test positive badgers were removed. A total of 105 individual badgers were followed over 21 200 collar tracking nights. Using multivariable analyses, neither annual nor monthly home ranges differed significantly in size between years, suggesting they were not significantly altered by the bTB intervention that was applied in the study area.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of selective removal of badgers (Meles meles) on ranging behaviour during a ‘Test and Vaccinate or Remove’ intervention in Northern Ireland

O’Hagan¹,

Gordon

McCormick³

et al. 2021

Epidemiol. Infect.

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“…From 2015-2018, DPP positive badgers were humanely euthanized and DPP-negative badgers were vaccinated using injectable Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), and released (Menzies et al 2021). Culled badgers underwent post-mortem examination according to a standardised protocol (Courcier et al 2020) and specified tissues were submitted for bacteriological culture.…”

Section: Sampling Of Cattle and Badgersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic epidemiology ofMycobacterium bovisinfection in sympatric badger and cattle populations in Northern Ireland

Akhmetova

Guerrero

McAdam

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a costly epidemiologically complex, multi-host, endemic disease. Lack of understanding of transmission dynamics may undermine eradication efforts. Pathogen whole genome sequencing improves epidemiological inferences, providing a means to determine the relative importance of inter- and intra- species host transmission for disease persistence. We sequenced an exceptional data set of 619 Mycobacterium bovis isolates from badgers and cattle in a 100km2 bTB hotspot in Northern Ireland. Historical molecular subtyping data permitted the targeting of an endemic pathogen lineage, whose long-term persistence provided a unique opportunity to study disease transmission dynamics in unparalleled detail. Additionally, to assess whether badger population genetic structure was associated with the spatial distribution of pathogen genetic diversity, we microsatellite genotyped hair samples from 769 badgers trapped in this area. Results: Graph transmission tree methods and structured coalescent analyses indicated the majority of bacterial diversity was found in the local cattle population. Results pointed to transmission from cattle to badger being more common than badger to cattle. Furthermore, the presence of significant badger population genetic structure in the landscape was not associated with the spatial distribution of M. bovis genetic diversity, suggesting that badger-to-badger transmission may not be a key determinant of disease persistence. Significance: Our data were consistent with badgers playing a smaller role in the maintenance of M. bovis infection in this study site, compared to cattle. Comparison to other areas suggests that M. bovis transmission dynamics are likely to be context dependent, and the role of wildlife difficult to generalise.

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“…P22 ELISA has provided high levels of sensitivity in previous studies in badgers [ 26 ]. Other available serological tests for diagnosing TB in badgers [ 28 ], e.g., the DPP Vet TB, the BrockTB STAT-PAK, and the chemiluminescent multiplex ELISA system have shown low-to-moderate sensitivity (from 30.77% to 58%) in naturally infected badgers [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. P22 is mainly composed of MPB70 and MPB83, but there are other proteins shared with MAC or other non-tuberculous mycobacteria with a high sequence similarity to MPB70 and MPB83 [ 34 ]; that is why the cut-off is advisable to specifically define for each epidemiological situation [ 26 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Infection in Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) and Cattle in Asturias, Spain

Vázquez

Barral

Romero

et al. 2021

Animals

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The present work investigated the prevalence, spatial distribution, and temporal distribution of tuberculosis (TB) in free-ranging Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) and cattle in Asturias (Atlantic Spain) during a 13-year follow-up. The study objective was to assess the role of badgers as a TB reservoir for cattle and other sympatric wild species in the region. Between 2008 and 2020, 673 badgers (98 trapped and 575 killed in road traffic accidents) in Asturias were necropsied, and their tissue samples were cultured for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolation. Serum samples were tested in an in-house indirect P22 ELISA to detect antibodies against the MTC. In parallel, data on MTC isolation and single intradermal tuberculin test results were extracted for cattle that were tested and culled as part of the Spanish National Program for the Eradication of Bovine TB. A total of 27/639 badgers (4.23%) were positive for MTC based on bacterial isolation, while 160/673 badgers (23.77%) were found to be positive with the P22 ELISA. The rate of seropositivity was higher among adult badgers than subadults. Badger TB status was spatially and temporally associated with cattle TB status. Our results cannot determine the direction of possible interspecies transmission, but they are consistent with the idea that the two hosts may exert infection pressure on each other. This study highlights the importance of the wildlife monitoring of infection and disease during epidemiological interventions in order to optimize outcomes.

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Evaluating the application of the dual path platform VetTB test for badgers (Meles meles) in the test and vaccinate or remove (TVR) wildlife research intervention project in Northern Ireland

Cited by 20 publications

References 28 publications

Effect of selective removal of badgers (Meles meles) on ranging behaviour during a ‘Test and Vaccinate or Remove’ intervention in Northern Ireland

Effect of selective removal of badgers (Meles meles) on ranging behaviour during a ‘Test and Vaccinate or Remove’ intervention in Northern Ireland

Genomic epidemiology ofMycobacterium bovisinfection in sympatric badger and cattle populations in Northern Ireland

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Infection in Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) and Cattle in Asturias, Spain

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