Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study on Bovine Tuberculosis by Intra Vitam Testing in Germany, 2013-2014

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Bacteriology

Background:

• Germany officially achieved bovine tuberculosis (bTB)-free status in 1996.
• Recent Mycobacterium bovis outbreaks in north-western Germany and wildlife-associated Mycobacterium caprae outbreaks in southern Germany raised concerns about surveillance effectiveness.
• These events prompted a reassessment of bTB control strategies and surveillance reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a nationwide cross-sectional study to assess the current prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Germany.
• To validate the effectiveness of existing surveillance programs, including abattoir surveillance and diagnostic testing.
• To reaffirm Germany's status as an officially tuberculosis-free (OTF) country.

Main Methods:

• A nationwide cross-sectional study tested 51,999 cattle (0.41% of the national herd) from 1.73% of German cattle farms.
• Initial screening involved the single intradermal comparative cervical test (SICCT).
• Positive or inconclusive SICCT results were further investigated using interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) and post-mortem PCR analysis.

Main Results:

• Out of 51,999 tested cattle, 4 showed positive and 152 showed inconclusive results on the SICCT.
• Subsequent confirmatory testing (IGRA and PCR) did not confirm any bTB-positive cases.
• The estimated bTB prevalence was calculated as 0.0% (CI 0.0000-0.0064%), confirming Germany's OTF status.

Conclusions:

• The study affirms that Germany maintains its officially tuberculosis-free (OTF) status.
• Occasional randomized nationwide testing is recommended to maintain surveillance effectiveness and disease awareness.
• The findings support the continued reliability of current bTB control programs and diagnostic protocols.