title: Modelling the impact of vaccination on tuberculosis in badgers.
abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) in livestock, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, persists in many countries. In Britain, efforts to control TB through the culling of badgers (Meles meles), the principal wildlife host, have so far been unsuccessful, and there is significant interest in vaccination of badgers as an alternative or complementary strategy [corrected]. Using a simulation model, we show that where TB is self-contained within the badger population and there are no external sources of infection, limited-duration vaccination at a high level of efficacy can reduce or even eradicate TB from the badger population. However, where sources of external infection persist, benefits in TB reduction in badgers can only be achieved by ongoing, annual vaccination. Vaccination is likely to be most effective as part of an integrated disease management strategy incorporating a number of different approaches across the entire host community.
authors.affiliation: Environment Department, University of York, York, UK.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hardstaff
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bulling
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marion
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hutchings
authors.forename: P C L
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D060740:Disease Eradication / Q000379:methods*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary*; D007494:Ireland; D008954:Models, Biological; D045969:Mustelidae; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis; D011155:Population Control; D011156:Population Density; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*