Toward the development of diagnostic assays to discriminate between Mycobacterium bovis infection and bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination in cattle

H. M. Vordermeier, P. J. Cockle, A. O. Whelan, S. Rhodes, R. G. Hewinson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A scientific review of the recent sharp increase in bovine tuberculosis in Great Britain has concluded that the development of a cattle vaccine holds the best prospect for long-term disease control. It is important to develop a diagnostic test that differentiates between vaccinated and Mycobacterium bovis-infected animals, to ensure that test-and-slaughter control strategies can continue alongside vaccination. The mycobacterial antigens ESAT-6, MPB64, and MPB83 are expressed at high levels in M. bovis but are expressed at low levels or not at all in bacille Calmette-Guérin (BEG) Pasteur. Promiscuous bovine T cell epitopes of these antigens were identified and formulated into a peptide cocktail. This cocktail and a cocktail composed of recombinant forms of the 3 antigens was able to distinguish cattle infected with virulent M. bovis from those vaccinated with BeG and from those sensitized to avian tuberculin in lymphocyte transformation and interferon-γ assays.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S291-S298
JournalClinical Infectious Diseases
Volume30
Issue numberSUPPL. 3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Jun 2000

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