[Diagnosis and control of tuberculosis in cattle]

The current knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in cattle is reviewed as part of a series bearing the title 'Papers in the Past and Present'. A retrospective view is taken of the discovery of tuberculin by Robert Koch in 1890 and of three papers by Professor M.H.J.P. Thomassen, which appeared shortly after: 'Koch's Discovery and its Diagnostic Value to Veterinary Medicine'. A review of developments in the use of the tuberculin test and the methods used in the control of tuberculosis as well as reference to some bacteriological data is followed by a more detailed discussion of the pathogenesis and immunology of tuberculosis. The current epidemiological situation and disease control are then discussed. Attention is drawn to the importance of using high-grade standardized forms of tuberculin. The complicated nature of the chemical formula and immunological characteristics of tuberculin, including modern forms of PPD tuberculin, are commented upon, and the paper is concluded with a look into the future regarding modern diagnostic prospects such as the development of synthetically manufactured tuberculin, the use of specific monoclonal antibodies and specific DNA probes.