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Vaccinating badgers against bovine TB: the ecological considerations
Journal
The Veterinary Journal
-
Volume 166, Issue 1
,
July 2003,
Pages 43-51
Authors
R. J. Delahay, G. J. Wilson, G. C. Smith and C. L. Cheeseman
Wildlife Disease Ecology Team, Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK
Abstract
Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a serious zoonotic
disease, which despite a largely successful test and slaughter programme
has persisted in cattle herds in parts of the UK. The badger is widely
considered to represent a significant wildlife reservoir for the
transmission of Mycobacterium bovis to cattle, and has been the subject
of a variety of culling strategies since the mid 1970s. Nevertheless,
the incidence of herd breakdowns has continued to rise, and the efficacy
of culling is currently the subject of a large-scale field trial. One
potential alternative tool for the management of disease in wildlife
populations is vaccination. However, the successful development of an
effective vaccine and a strategy for its delivery will require careful
consideration of the practical constraints imposed by ecological
factors. In the current paper, we discuss relevant ecological and
epidemiological characteristics of badger populations and practical
aspects of vaccine delivery in the field.
Keywords
Badger; Bovine tuberculosis; Vaccination; Ecology;
Epidemiology; Vaccine delivery
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