The immune response in two populations of wild badgers naturally infected with bovine tubercle bacilli

This study describes the immune responses of two defined badger populations; one from East Sussex and another from Staffordshire. The mean in vitro lymphoproliferative response, of all infected badgers from both areas, to Glaxo BCG, was significantly greater than that of healthy animals. The infected badgers had significantly higher antibody levels against mycobacterial antigens, especially New Tuberculin, than did the healthy animals. All the healthy and tuberculous badgers from the Staffordshire area were invariably unreactive to the various preparations used for skin-testing. However, in the East Sussex area, positive reactions were obtained in 10 out of 37 healthy and 7 out of 10 infected animals. This is the first account of positive skin tests in free living badgers. These results support the concept that badgers infected with bovine tubercle bacilli pass through an immunological spectrum throughout much of which they are unlikely to be important sources of infection. In the early stages, tubercle bacilli are excreted from infected wounds, whereas in the later stages, failure of cell-mediated immunity results in excretion of tubercle bacilli from other sites and the badger becomes a potent source of infection.