Spatial and Temporal Distribution of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> Complex Infection in Eurasian Badger (<i>Meles meles</i>) and Cattle in Asturias, Spain
Cristina Blanco Vázquez,
Thiago Doria Barral,
Beatriz Romero,
Manuel Queipo,
Isabel Merediz,
Pablo Quirós,
José Ángel Armenteros,
Ramón Juste,
Lucas Domínguez,
Mercedes Domínguez,
Rosa Casais,
Ana Balseiro
Affiliations
Cristina Blanco Vázquez
Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario del Principado de Asturias (SERIDA), 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain
Thiago Doria Barral
Laboratório de Imunologia e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 40.110-100 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Beatriz Romero
Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria VISAVET, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Manuel Queipo
Servicio de Sanidad y Producción Animal del Principado de Asturias, 33007 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Isabel Merediz
Laboratorio Regional de Sanidad Animal del Principado de Asturias, 33201 Gijón, Asturias, Spain
Pablo Quirós
Dirección General del Medio Natural y Planificación Rural del Principado de Asturias, 33007 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
José Ángel Armenteros
Dirección General del Medio Natural y Planificación Rural del Principado de Asturias, 33007 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Ramón Juste
Animal Health Department, NEIKER-Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
Lucas Domínguez
Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria VISAVET, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Mercedes Domínguez
Unidad de Inmunología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Rosa Casais
Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario del Principado de Asturias (SERIDA), 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain
Ana Balseiro
Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
The present work investigated the prevalence, spatial distribution, and temporal distribution of tuberculosis (TB) in free-ranging Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) and cattle in Asturias (Atlantic Spain) during a 13-year follow-up. The study objective was to assess the role of badgers as a TB reservoir for cattle and other sympatric wild species in the region. Between 2008 and 2020, 673 badgers (98 trapped and 575 killed in road traffic accidents) in Asturias were necropsied, and their tissue samples were cultured for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolation. Serum samples were tested in an in-house indirect P22 ELISA to detect antibodies against the MTC. In parallel, data on MTC isolation and single intradermal tuberculin test results were extracted for cattle that were tested and culled as part of the Spanish National Program for the Eradication of Bovine TB. A total of 27/639 badgers (4.23%) were positive for MTC based on bacterial isolation, while 160/673 badgers (23.77%) were found to be positive with the P22 ELISA. The rate of seropositivity was higher among adult badgers than subadults. Badger TB status was spatially and temporally associated with cattle TB status. Our results cannot determine the direction of possible interspecies transmission, but they are consistent with the idea that the two hosts may exert infection pressure on each other. This study highlights the importance of the wildlife monitoring of infection and disease during epidemiological interventions in order to optimize outcomes.
