To help protect Canada’s cattle and bison and maintain the country’s bovine tuberculosis (TB)-free status, scientists from University of Saskatchewan ...
To help protect Canada’s cattle and bison and maintain the country’s bovine tuberculosis (TB)-free status, scientists from University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) and Parks Canada are conducting trials in bison of several diagnostic tools, including the innovative Actiphage® blood test developed by the diagnostics company PBD Biotech.
Actiphage® is a rapid and accurate test for detecting in a blood sample even very low levels of mycobacteria, the bacteria that causes TB. The results are available within hours, enabling early detection and improved disease management. The innovative blood test has been successfully tested in humans and 20 species of animals, but never before in bison.
While a successful Canadian bovine TB control program has been in place since 1924, bison herds in Wood Buffalo National Park, which straddles the Alberta-Northwest Territories border, include TB-infected animals. Parks Canada, a recognized leader in conservation, is responsible under the Species at Risk Act for the protection and recovery of listed species found in national parks such as the bison. Improved TB diagnosis could support management of the infected animals, for which there are currently few options, and reduce the prevalence of the disease over time.
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Image via Parks Canada.
