Abstract
Interactions taking place between sympatric wildlife and livestock may contribute to interspecies transmission of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex or non-tuberculous mycobacteria, leading to the spread of relevant mycobacterioses or to interferences with the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of interactions between wildlife and cattle in a low bovine tuberculosis prevalence Atlantic region. Camera traps were set during a one-year period in cattle farms with a history of tuberculosis and/or non-tuberculous mycobacterioses. The frequency and duration of wildlife visits, and the number of individuals per visit, were analysed through generalized linear mixed models. The seasons, type of place, type of point, and period of the day were the explanatory variables. A total of 1293 visits were recorded during 2741 days of camera observation. Only 23 visits showed direct contacts with cattle, suggesting that mycobacteria transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface would occur mainly through indirect interactions. Cattle pastures represented the most appropriate habitat for interspecies transmission of mycobacteria, and badgers' latrines appear to be a potential hotspot for mycobacteria circulation between badgers, wild boars, foxes, and cattle. According to both previous epidemiological information and the interaction patterns observed, wild boars, badgers, foxes, and small rodents are the species or group most often in contact with livestock, and thus may be the most involved in the epidemiology of mycobacterioses in the wildlife-livestock interface in this area.
Highlights
Multi-host pathogens are often of wide concern because of the complexity that entails their control [1]
Data were recorded during 2741 camera days distributed into 180 sessions
The results of the present study combined with the information derived from our previous epidemiological surveys suggest that four wild species or groups might be most involved in the epidemiology of mycobacterioses in the Basque Country: wild boar, badgers, foxes, and small rodents
Summary
Multi-host pathogens are often of wide concern because of the complexity that entails their control [1]. This control may become harder to manage when wild species are involved in their maintenance and transmission and even more difficult when poor or lacking farm biosecurity measures enable the occurrence of interactions between livestock and wildlife. Understanding interactions that can potentially lead to pathogen transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface is a key for the implementation of appropriate disease control strategies in a multi-host system.
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