Tag: bovine tuberculosis

M. bovis, Galway, Ireland. 7th International Conference on Mycobacterium bovis

Seventh International Conference on Mycobacterium bovis is taking place in the beautiful and historic city of Galway on the west coast of Ireland from 7-10 June 2022. Unfortunately, due to the global pandemic, the conference which was due to take place in June 2020 had to be postponed to June 2021 and again until June 2022. early bird registration […]

Bovine TB: genetic contact tracing could help control outbreaks

The use of genetic contact tracing to identify the source of a bovine tuberculosis (TB) outbreak could signal a new approach in managing the disease, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. In response to a rise in TB rates among wildlife in the eastern part of the county of Cumbria […]

Rising Sika deer populations linked to bovine TB infections in Ireland

Research published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science suggests Ireland’s increasing populations of Sika deer (Cervus nippon) may be linked to local outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB) infection in cattle. Although TB infection rates have decreased in general in recent decades, county-level data shows a correlation between higher Sika numbers and higher local TB infections – with […]

MAIT cells play a role in protecting cattle against bacterial infections

In a collaborative study, researchers at the Roslin Institute, The Pirbright Institute, the Universities of Oxford, Ultrech and Queensland, the University of Melbourne’s Doherty Institute, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have identified new immune cells in cattle, called mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. Human MAIT cells have been shown to tackle bacterial and […]

Potential for genetic control of bovine tuberculosis in Africa

Research suggests that it is likely that a group of genes act together to confer resistance to bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The findings, published in Frontiers in Genetics, will support future research, which could help farmers in Africa select and breed cattle that are more likely to be resistant to this disease in the future. The […]

Resilience to bovine TB traced to key genes

Researchers have mapped active and inactive genes in bovine alveolar macrophages (bAM), which play a key role in countering bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infections. The findings of the study, led by scientists at University College Dublin (UCD) in collaboration with The Roslin Institute, are published in Frontiers in Genetics. In order to map which genes in […]

TB or not TB? The fight for immunity. Inaugural lecture of Professor Jayne Hope. The Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh

This inaugural lecture will discuss work carried out by Professor Hope starting with her PhD studies of the immune response to chemical allergens in mice. This led to a career-long interest in dendritic cells and innate immunity that is now being applied to studies of vaccines for tuberculosis in cows. The lecture will discuss differences […]

Modified BCG vaccine is compatible with a novel DIVA skin test

Scientists at the University of Surrey have developed a novel vaccine and complementary skin test to protect cattle against bovine tuberculosis. Publishing their findings in Scientific Reports, the researchers reveal they have created a vaccine that is compatible with a synthetic form of the tuberculin skin test (PPD). The BCG vaccine, which is currently used […]

African buffalo provide insights into the genetics of tuberculosis resistance

Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at Oregon State University discovered areas in the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) genome linked to risk for tuberculosis (TB) infection. The researchers discovered areas of genetic code variation near genes associated with immunity to bacterial infections and demonstrated that these variations correlated with TB resistance. The team published their findings in […]

Badger culling increases ranging behaviour among survivors

A study led by researchers from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Imperial College London has found that culling drives badgers to roam further afield. They say this helps to explain why the practice, intended to reduce bovine tuberculosis (TB) transmission, can sometimes exacerbate the problem instead. Published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, […]