Abstract
BackgroundAccurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis is notoriously difficult in live animals, yet important if we are to understand the epidemiology of TB and devise effective strategies to limit its spread. Currently available tests for diagnosing TB in live Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) remain unvalidated against a reliable gold standard. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of three tests for TB in badgers in the absence of a gold standard.Methodology/Principal FindingsA Bayesian approach was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of mycobacterial culture, gamma-interferon assay and a commercially available serological test using multiple samples collected from 305 live wild badgers. Although no single test was judged to be sufficiently sensitive and specific to be used as a sole diagnostic method, selective combined use of the three tests allowed guidelines to be formulated that allow a diagnosis to be made for individual animals with an estimated overall accuracy of 93% (range: 75% to 97%). Employing this approach in the study population of badgers resulted in approximately 13 out of 14 animals having their true infection status correctly classified from samples collected on a single capture.Conclusions/SignificanceThis method of interpretation represents a marked improvement on the current procedure for diagnosing M. bovis infection in live badgers. The results should be of use to inform future test and intervention strategies with the aim of reducing the incidence of TB in free-living wild badger populations.
Highlights
The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle owing to infection with Mycobacterium bovis remains a cause for concern in large parts of Great Britain [1]
Accurate diagnosis of M. bovis infection in badgers is critical if we are to understand the epidemiology of TB in this species and devise effective strategies to limit its spread to cattle
Assays based on the measurement of cellular responses appear to produce better results [11]. One such test based on the detection of gamma interferon (IFNc) from stimulated lymphocytes [12] has the advantage of being able to detect relatively early stages of infection with M. bovis [13]
Summary
The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle owing to infection with Mycobacterium bovis remains a cause for concern in large parts of Great Britain [1]. Accurate diagnosis of M. bovis infection in badgers is critical if we are to understand the epidemiology of TB in this species and devise effective strategies to limit its spread to cattle. Assays based on the measurement of cellular responses appear to produce better results [11]. One such test based on the detection of gamma interferon (IFNc) from stimulated lymphocytes [12] has the advantage of being able to detect relatively early stages of infection with M. bovis [13]. Accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis is notoriously difficult in live animals, yet important if we are to understand the epidemiology of TB and devise effective strategies to limit its spread. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of three tests for TB in badgers in the absence of a gold standard
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