Parallel testing increases detection of Mycobacterium bovis-infected African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer)

Netanya Bernitz; Wynand J Goosen; Charlene Clarke; Tanya J Kerr; Roxanne Higgitt; Eduard O Roos; David V Cooper; Robin M Warren; Paul D van Helden; Sven D C Parsons; Michele A Miller

doi:10.1016/j.vetimm.2018.09.004

Parallel testing increases detection of Mycobacterium bovis-infected African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer)

Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2018 Oct:204:40-43. doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2018.09.004. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: netanya@sun.ac.za.
² DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: wjgoosen@sun.ac.za.
³ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: cclarke@sun.ac.za.
⁴ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: tjkerr@sun.ac.za.
⁵ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: rhiggitt@sun.ac.za.
⁶ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: eoroos@sun.ac.za.
⁷ Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, PO Box 25, Mtubatuba, 3935, South Africa. Electronic address: dave.cooper@kznwildlife.com.
⁸ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: rw1@sun.ac.za.
⁹ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: pvh@sun.ac.za.
¹⁰ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: sparsons@sun.ac.za.
¹¹ DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: miller@sun.ac.za.

PMID: 30596379
DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2018.09.004

Abstract

The diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infection in African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) relies on detection of the cell-mediated immune response to M. bovis antigens using the single comparative intradermal tuberculin test (SCITT) or interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs). The aim of the present study was to determine whether parallel testing with the SCITT and an IGRA increases the number of M. bovis-infected buffaloes detected by these assays. Culture-confirmed animals (n = 71) tested during routine bovine tuberculosis (bTB) control programmes in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park and Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa, were used in this study. Results from 35 buffaloes tested using the SCITT and three Bovigam^® IGRAs (cohort A) and 36 buffaloes tested using the SCITT, standard Bovigam^® IGRA and Qiagen Cattletype IGRA (cohort B) were analysed. The parallel use of the SCITT with selected IGRAs was able to identify all animals in both cohorts. These findings are in agreement with cattle studies supporting the use of the SCITT and IGRAs in parallel to identify the greatest number of M. bovis-infected animals. The suggested parallel testing algorithm should be strategically applied to maximize detection of M. bovis infection in bTB-positive buffalo herds.

Keywords: African buffalo; Bovine tuberculosis; Interferon gamma release assay; Mycobacterium bovis; Single comparative intradermal tuberculin test.

MeSH terms

Animals
Buffaloes / microbiology*
Interferon-gamma Release Tests / methods
Interferon-gamma Release Tests / veterinary*
Mycobacterium bovis*
Sensitivity and Specificity
Tuberculin Test / methods
Tuberculin Test / veterinary*
Tuberculosis / diagnosis
Tuberculosis / microbiology
Tuberculosis / veterinary*