Can We Breed Cattle for Lower Bovine TB Infectivity?
Date
2018-12-07
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Publisher
Frontiers Media
Abstract
Host resistance and infectivity are genetic traits affecting infectious disease transmission.
This Perspective discusses the potential exploitation of genetic variation in cattle
infectivity, in addition to resistance, to reduce the risk, and prevalence of bovine
tuberculosis (bTB). In bTB, variability in M. bovis shedding has been previously reported
in cattle and wildlife hosts (badgers and wild boars), but the observed differences
were attributed to dose and route of infection, rather than host genetics. This article
addresses the extent to which cattle infectivity may play a role in bTB transmission,
and discusses the feasibility, and potential benefits from incorporating infectivity into
breeding programmes. The underlying hypothesis is that bTB infectivity, like resistance,
is partly controlled by genetics. Identifying and reducing the number of cattle with
high genetic infectivity, could reduce further a major risk factor for herds exposed to
bTB. We outline evidence in support of this hypothesis and describe methodologies for
detecting and estimating genetic parameters for infectivity. Using genetic-epidemiological
predictionmodels we discuss the potential benefits of selection for reduced infectivity and
increased resistance in terms of practical field measures of epidemic risk and severity.
Simulations predict that adding infectivity to the breeding programme could enhance and
accelerate the reduction in breakdown risk compared to selection on resistance alone.
Therefore, given the recent launch of genetic evaluations for bTB resistance and the UK
government’s goal to eradicate bTB, it is timely to consider the potential of integrating
infectivity into breeding schemes.
Description
Publication history: Accepted - 22 November 2018; Published - 7 December 2018.
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Keywords
disease resistance, disease control, animal breeding, infectivity, bovine Tuberculosis
Citation
Tsairidou, S., Allen, A., Banos, G., Coffey, M., Anacleto, O., Byrne, A. W., Skuce, R. A., Glass, E. J., Woolliams, J. A. and Doeschl-Wilson, A. B. (2018) ‘Can We Breed Cattle for Lower Bovine TB Infectivity?’, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00310.