Summary

Tuberculosis is the most important zoonotic disease that has high socio economic impact on animals as well as humans in most of the countries. Due to its life threatening nature, almost all countries have implemented stringent control measures in human. However, most of the countries have neglected the contributing part of animal side that produce health risk for humans. Although developed countries have eradicated bovine TB in domestic animals following OIE recommended control measures, it cannot be practiced by developing countries due to impediments in funding for compensation. Therefore feasible and acceptable control measures has to be introduced to confine the disease in specific location and prevent the spread of disease by eliminating high risk animals. For this purpose identification of reliable diagnostic method including proper clinical samples is highly important. Considering this national need this study is focused to identify proper clinical sample that can be taken from live animals and also to identify the reliable, more sensitive, convenient, cheap and quick test method to use as the routine diagnostic test to trace high risk animals among PPD positive reactors.

Nasopharyngeal swabs and saliva samples will be collected from 100 PPD positive animals and 30 PPD negative animals as the control group in 10 -20 locations and these samples will be subjected to find live mycobacterium organism by using traditional culture technique and acid fast staining smear. Conventional PCR and LAMP PCR will be done to identify the presence of species specific mycobacterium in those samples using specific primers for MTB complex. Results will be compared to identify the more reliable test method.

Objectives

General objective:

1. Identify the proper sample to use for diagnosis of bovine TB in suspected animals

2. Evaluate and identify the reliable and most sensitive test for diagnosis

3. Establish test methods at VRI for routine diagnostic service

With ultimate objective to control spreading of TB among national dairy herds by applying applicable and acceptable measures by stakeholders through DAPH and to minimize the public health risk that provides support to NPTCCD programme conducted by ministry of Health