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The Randomized Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) began in 1998 to determine the impact of badger culling in controlling bovine tuberculosis in cattle. A total of 1166 badgers (14% of total) proactively culled during the RBCT were found to be tuberculous, offering a unique opportunity to study the pathology caused by Mycobacterium bovis in a large sample of badgers. Of these, 39% of adults (approximately 6% of all adults culled) had visible lesions (detectable at necropsy) of bovine tuberculosis; cubs had a lower prevalence of infection (9%) but a higher percentage of tuberculous cubs (55.5%) had visible lesions. Only approximately 1% of adult badgers had extensive, severe pathology. Tuberculous badgers with recorded bite wounds (approximately 5%) had a higher prevalence of visible lesions and a different distribution of lesions, suggesting transmission via bite wounds. However, the predominance of lesions in the respiratory tract indicates that most transmission occurs by the respiratory route.

Original publication

DOI

10.1017/s0950268807009909

Type

Journal article

Journal

Epidemiology and infection

Publication Date

10/2008

Volume

136

Pages

1350 - 1361

Addresses

Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK. h.jenkins@imperial.ac.uk

Keywords

Animal Structures, Animals, Cattle, Mustelidae, Mycobacterium bovis, Tuberculosis, Prevalence, Female, Male