Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the contribution to the sensitivity of the French ante-mortem surveillance system for bovine tuberculosis in cattle of each of the system’s components (periodic screening, epidemiological investigations, and screening exchanged animals), on a local scale defined by administrative areas. These components were individually assessed in previous studies by scenario tree modeling. We used scenario tree modeling at the herd level and combined the results to evaluate the overall sensitivity of the ante-mortem surveillance system. The probability to detect at least one infected herd was consistent with the location of the outbreaks detected in 2016. In areas with a high apparent incidence, the probability of an infected herd to be detected was satisfactory (for an infected herd there was a 100% probability to be detected over a two-year period). Periodic screening was the most important component for the overall sensitivity in infected areas. In other areas, where periodic screening had stopped, tracing-on epidemiological investigation was the most sensitive component of the system. Screening exchanged animals had a negligible part in the overall sensitivity of the surveillance system.
Highlights
Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by Mycobacterium bovis, M. tuberculosis, or M. caprae
The mean probability for an infected herd to be detected in a given year was highest in areas with high surveillance pressure (Figures A2 and A3)
In the absence of periodic screening, the ante-mortem surveillance system provided satisfactory efficiency in areas where there was a significant risk of a herd contamination through a downstream link (Figures 2 and 3)
Summary
Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by Mycobacterium bovis, M. tuberculosis, or M. caprae. TB is a chronic infection that is mostly asymptomatic in cattle. Officially the TB-free status is important to facilitate livestock exchange between countries within the European. Since 2001, France is officially TB-free, meaning that its incidence is lower than. Despite 70 years of TB control measures, TB eradication is still not achieved and TB incidences are increasing in the South-Western areas, putting the TB-free status of France in jeopardy. In this context, the evaluation of the French TB surveillance system in cattle was essential for the identification of improvement leverage
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
