Managing Tuberculosis in Wildlife

Tuberculosis is a major health problem in people, domestic animals and wildlife worldwide, and disease outbreaks are a significant threat to both animal and human health. Tuberculosis is challenging to diagnose and treat in wildlife; no vaccines are currently available. Once present in a population of animals, the disease is very difficult to eliminate or control. Researchers will create genetic blueprints of several different strains of Mycobacterium bovis, the most common cause of tuberculosis in wild animals, to understand how the bacteria adapt and cause disease in diverse animal species. Findings will be used to develop tuberculosis control and prevention strategies, including identifying candidate and target genes for vaccines and new therapies.