Progress in the development of tuberculosis vaccines for wildlife.

Abstract

Abstract Wildlife reservoirs of Mycobacterium bovis (bovine tuberculosis) serve as an important source of infection for domestic animals and impede attempts to eradicate the disease in many countries. In addition, wildlife reservoirs of bovine tuberculosis cause serious problems in game parks and hunting estates, where infection can spill over to iconic or endangered wildlife species. In the past decade, much progress has been accomplished towards designing vaccines aimed at wildlife species. Indeed, vaccination is emerging as a promising strategy for control of disease in wildlife, and M. bovis bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) vaccine has been tested in a range of wildlife species, with very encouraging results. A crucial development has been the formulation of an oral bait delivery system, which provides a practical and cost-effective means of delivering a tuberculosis vaccine to wildlife. Major progress has been made in the development of the experimental challenge models in wildlife species, bait technology and the effectiveness of the vaccines against experimental challenge as well as to natural exposure to M. bovis . The aim of this review is to indicate the role for vaccines in control of bovine tuberculosis in wildlife and to provide an update on the development of these vaccines.