Bovine tuberculosis and the establishment of an eradication program in the United States: Role of veterinarians

Abstract

The significance of the identification of Mycobacterium bovis as a zoonotic pathogen in 1882 was not initially recognized. After years of research by veterinarians, and other scientists, the importance of M. bovis as a pathogen and the public health ramifications, were appreciated. Veterinarians played pivotal roles in the creation of improved meat and milk inspection, diagnosis of M. bovis infected cattle, and in time, a bovine tuberculosis eradication program that would impact every cattle producer in the country. After overcoming many challenges, the 93-year-long program has decreased disease prevalence from 5 to <0.001. Today, years of hard work by practitioners, researchers and regulatory officials alike, have yielded a program with a net benefit of almost 160 million per year. Copyright © 2011 Mitchell V. Palmer and W. Ray Waters.