Developing policy for the use of TB vaccinesin badgers and cattle in Wales

Christianne Glossop CVO Wales

Vaccination in the control of bovine tuberculosis3rd October 2013, Zoological Society of London

TB at Gelli Aur, Carmarthenshire

• TB for 41/2 years out of last 5

• 400 cattle slaughtered• Cat infected• 60 day testing• Full compliance• Good biosecurity

TB in Wales

• Annual testing since 2010 • Every herd tested every year• At best 2 days of hassle and

worry• At worst a TB breakdown

identified

2012/13:• 9,215 cattle slaughtered• 1,078 new herd incidents• £32,754,664 spent (testing regime,

breakdown management, additional measures, compensation)

TB in Wales

The fight against TB in WalesBasic principles of infectious disease

control Keep it out Find it quickly Stop it spreading Stamp it out

TB Eradication is an ambitious, achievable long term objective Need to use every tool in the box

Vaccination

• Efficacy?• No effect on infected animals• Technical questions • DIVA• Untested in the field in the UK• Legislative hurdles• Strategy?

• Efficacy?• No effect on infected animals• Practically challenging• Oral bait?• Expensive• Benefit to cattle unknown• Strategy?

It is simplistic to think that vaccination alone can resolve the problem

Success stories with vaccination Brucellosis – eradication in GB by test/slaughter/vaccinate policy Rinderpest – vaccination played key role in worldwide eradication Rabies - oral vaccination of foxes against rabies (Europe)

Vaccination for TB a tool yet to be exploited to the full Vaccination has the potential to contribute to TB eradication

Badger vaccination in Wales – Phase 1

Intensive Action Area 1,190+ landowners 300+ cattle herds in the area 2.5% of the national herd 14% of national compensation cost 25% under restrictions due to a TB breakdown Year 1 – 1,425 badgers Year 2 (so far) over 1,100 badgers Expensive and time-consuming - £600+ per

badger

Badger vaccination in Wales – Phase 2

£250,000 fund – vaccination grant Seeking support from interested parties

Cattle vaccination in Wales

International workshop (Dec ’12)

Borg letter ATC Field trials (Ethiopia)

Where do we go from here? TB eradication in cattle is an ambitious, achievable

long-term objective We need to use every tool in the box It is simplistic to think that vaccination alone can

resolve this problem Vaccination is a tool yet to be exploited to the full Vaccination is a potentially useful tool as part of a

comprehensive programme of eradication