Current ante-mortem techniques for diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis

Res Vet Sci. 2014 Oct:97 Suppl:S44-52. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2014.04.002. Epub 2014 Apr 14.

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis (TB), mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a zoonotic disease with implications for Public Health and having an economic impact due to decreased production and limitations to the trade. Bovine TB is subjected to official eradication campaigns mainly based on a test and slaughter policy using diagnostic assays based on the cell-mediated immune response as the intradermal tuberculin test and the gamma-interferon (IFN-γ) assay. Moreover, several diagnostic assays based on the detection of specific antibodies (Abs) have been developed in the last few years with the aim of complementing the current diagnostic techniques in the near future. This review provides an overview of the current ante-mortem diagnostic tools for diagnosis of bovine TB regarding historical background, methodologies and sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) obtained in previous studies under different epidemiological situations.

Keywords: Cattle; Gamma-interferon assay; Serology; Tuberculin test; Tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Cattle
  • Diagnosis*
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Interferon-gamma / drug effects
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Mycobacterium bovis / immunology*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Serologic Tests / methods*
  • Tuberculin / pharmacology
  • Tuberculin Test / methods*
  • Tuberculosis, Bovine / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculosis, Bovine / immunology
  • Tuberculosis, Bovine / pathology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Tuberculin
  • Interferon-gamma