BCG vaccination reduces bovine tuberculosis transmission, improving prospects for elimination
Recommended Citation
Fromsa A, Willgert K, Srinivasan S, Mekonnen G, Bedada W, Gumi B, Lakew M, Tadesse B, Bayissa B, Sirak A, Girma Abdela M, Gebre S, Chibssa T, Veerasami M, Vordermeier HM, Bakker D, Berg S, Ameni G, Juleff N, de Jong MCM, Wood J, Conlan A, and Kapur V. BCG vaccination reduces bovine tuberculosis transmission, improving prospects for elimination. Science 2024; 383(6690):eadl3962.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-29-2024
Publication Title
Science
Abstract
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a routinely used vaccine for protecting children against Mycobacterium tuberculosis that comprises attenuated Mycobacterium bovis. BCG can also be used to protect livestock against M. bovis; however, its effectiveness has not been quantified for this use. We performed a natural transmission experiment to directly estimate the rate of transmission to and from vaccinated and unvaccinated calves over a 1-year exposure period. The results show a higher indirect efficacy of BCG to reduce transmission from vaccinated animals that subsequently become infected [74%; 95% credible interval (CrI): 46 to 98%] compared with direct protection against infection (58%; 95% CrI: 34 to 73%) and an estimated total efficacy of 89% (95% CrI: 74 to 96%). A mechanistic transmission model of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) spread within the Ethiopian dairy sector was developed and showed how the prospects for elimination may be enabled by routine BCG vaccination of cattle.
Medical Subject Headings
Animals; Cattle; BCG Vaccine; Mycobacterium bovis; Tuberculosis, Bovine; Vaccination; Vaccine Efficacy; Disease Eradication
PubMed ID
38547287
Volume
383
Issue
6690
First Page
3962
Last Page
3962
