Isolation of<i>Mycobacterium bovis</i>from brushtail possums with non-visible lesions

Lisle, GW de; Yates, GF; Coleman, J. D.

doi:10.1080/00480169.2009.36905

Cited by 10 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…In possums, it has been established that many individual animals in early stages of infection will show no gross lesions, but when pooled cultures of critical tissues, including lung and lymph nodes, are processed, many additional M. bovis-infected animals are found. 12 This is not surprising to experienced researchers working with tuberculosis, since BTB lesions start at the microscopic level and progress to form larger macroscopic lesions. One study found that 10.9% of possums surveyed had visible lesions, but when pooled cultures for M. bovis were conducted, the prevalence of infection increased by an additional 8.5%.…”

Section: Brushtail Possums In New Zealandmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One study found that 10.9% of possums surveyed had visible lesions, but when pooled cultures for M. bovis were conducted, the prevalence of infection increased by an additional 8.5%. 12 Although culturing nonlesioned tissues adds both time and expense to the diagnostic process, it is important not to declare geographic areas or wildlife populations tuberculosis free without microbiological confirmation.…”

Section: Brushtail Possums In New Zealandmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wildlife Reservoirs of Bovine Tuberculosis Worldwide: Hosts, Pathology, Surveillance, and Control

2012

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Bovine tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis is a zoonotic disease classically carried by cattle and spilling over into humans primarily by the ingestion of milk. However, in recent decades, there have been many endemic geographic localities where M. bovis has been detected infecting wildlife reservoirs, limiting the progress toward eradication of this disease from cattle. These include cervids in North America, badgers in Great Britain, feral pigs in Europe, brushtailed possums in New Zealand, and buffalo in South Africa. An overview of these wildlife hosts will provide insight into how these reservoirs maintain and spread the disease. In addition, the authors summarize the pathology, current ongoing methods for surveillance, and control. In many instances, it has proven to be more difficult to control or eradicate bovine tuberculosis in wild free-ranging species than in domesticated cattle. Furthermore, human influences have often contributed to the introduction and/or maintenance of the disease in wildlife species. Finally, some emerging themes regarding bovine tuberculosis establishment in wildlife hosts, as well as conclusions regarding management practices to assist in bovine tuberculosis control and eradication in wildlife, are offered.

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Section: Brushtail Possums In New Zealandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Brushtail Possums In New Zealandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildlife Reservoirs of Bovine Tuberculosis Worldwide: Hosts, Pathology, Surveillance, and Control

2012

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“…Culture of pooled samples of frequently infected tissue types from possums without lesions is occasionally used in research projects and, increasingly, in surveys conducted to determine whether TB is absent from possums (de Lisle et al 2009 ). In places where possum numbers are low, it is more cost-effective to increase detection sensitivity through culture rather than relying on visual detection of gross tuberculous lesions in additional possums.…”

Section: Ecology and Epidemiology Of Tb In Possumsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In surveys of four wild populations in which all commonly infected tissue sites were cultured, 44% of those culture-positive for M. bovis had no visible lesions (de Lisle et al . 2009 ). Another study suggests that only 11% had no visible lesions (Cooke 2000 ), while in a third study about one-third had no lesions (Lugton 1997 ).…”

Section: Ecology and Epidemiology Of Tb In Possumsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology and control ofMycobacterium bovisinfection in brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), the primary wildlife host of bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand

Nugent

Buddle

Knowles³

2015

New Zealand Veterinary Journal

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The introduced Australian brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is a maintenance host for bovine tuberculosis (TB) in New Zealand and plays a central role in the TB problem in this country. The TB-possum problem emerged in the late 1960s, and intensive lethal control of possums is now used to reduce densities to low levels over 8 million ha of the country. This review summarises what is currently known about the pathogenesis and epidemiology of TB in possums, and how the disease responds to possum control. TB in possums is a highly lethal disease, with most possums likely to die within 6 months of becoming infected. The mechanisms of transmission between possums remain unclear, but appear to require some form of close contact or proximity. At large geographic scales, TB prevalence in possum populations is usually low (1–5%), but local prevalence can sometimes reach 60%. Intensive, systematic and uniform population control has been highly effective in breaking the TB cycle in possum populations, and where that control has been sustained for many years the prevalence of TB is now zero or near zero. Although some uncertainties remain, local eradication of TB from possums appears to be straightforward, given that TB managers now have the ability to reduce possum numbers to near zero levels and to maintain them at those levels for extended periods where required. We conclude that, although far from complete, the current understanding of TB-possum epidemiology, and the current management strategies and tactics, are sufficient to achieve local, regional, and even national disease eradication from possums in New Zealand.

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“…As already noted, the EH area sensu lato was the subject of possum control operations in 1994/1995 and again in 2000/2001, and the adjacent areas to the north, east and south were deemed to have been brought under control progressively; however, an area immediately to the west was not brought under full control until the intensive operation of 2005. In that western area, M. bovis infection was common in deer, pigs, and possums until at least 2000 [6], and in May 2005 was confirmed by mycobacterial culture as still present at 11% prevalence in possums (n=93) in a moderate-high density population collected from a small (y200 ha) part of the adjacent western area ( [29] Table 1. Prevalence of culture-confirmed M. bovis infection cases (%) and sample sizes (in parentheses) of pigs from six main areas, by year of survey.…”

Section: Spatial Pattern Of Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced spillover transmission ofMycobacterium bovisto feral pigs (Sus scofa) following population control of brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

et al. 2011

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In New Zealand, bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is present in domestic cattle and deer herds primarily as the result of on-going disease transmission from the primary wildlife host, the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). However, bTB is also present in other introduced free-ranging mammalian species. Between 1996 and 2007, we conducted a series of studies to determine whether poison control of possum populations would have any effect on the prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis infection in sympatric feral pigs (Sus scrofa). We compared trends in the prevalence of bTB infection in feral pigs in six study areas: possum numbers were reduced in three areas, but not in the other three, effectively providing a thrice-replicated before-after-control-intervention design. Before possum control, the overall prevalence of culture-confirmed M. bovis infection in feral pigs was 16.7-94.4%, depending on area. Infection prevalence varied little between genders but did vary with age, increasing during the first 2-3 years of life but then declining in older pigs. In the areas in which possum control was applied, M. bovis prevalence in feral pigs fell to near zero within 2-3 years, provided control was applied successfully at the whole-landscape scale. In contrast, prevalence changed much less or not at all in the areas with no possum control. We conclude that feral pigs in New Zealand acquire M. bovis infection mainly by inter-species transmission from possums, but then rarely pass the disease on to other pigs and are end hosts. This is in contrast to the purported role of pigs as bTB maintenance hosts in other countries, and we suggest the difference in host status may reflect differences in the relative importance of the oral route of infection in different environments. Despite harbouring M. bovis infection for a number of years, pigs in New Zealand do not sustain bTB independently, but are good sentinels for disease prevalence in possum populations.

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Isolation ofMycobacterium bovisfrom brushtail possums with non-visible lesions

Cited by 10 publications

References 4 publications

Wildlife Reservoirs of Bovine Tuberculosis Worldwide: Hosts, Pathology, Surveillance, and Control

Wildlife Reservoirs of Bovine Tuberculosis Worldwide: Hosts, Pathology, Surveillance, and Control

Epidemiology and control ofMycobacterium bovisinfection in brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), the primary wildlife host of bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand

Reduced spillover transmission ofMycobacterium bovisto feral pigs (Sus scofa) following population control of brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

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