The confirmation of a dairy cow in southern Manitoba testing positive for bovine tuberculosis has prompted many questions about the disease, its prevalence, its spread, and the relative risk to human health.
To answer some of the frequently asked questions, we asked Dr. Noel Ritson-Bennett, veterinary program manager for Western Canada for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to join us for a discussion (audio is below). He answers:
- What is bovine tuberculosis? How is bovine TB different or the same as human TB?
- Is it very rare to find bovine TB in dairy cattle? How common is it?
- Where does a TB infection typically come from? Are there wild animals that can carry it?
- Is there testing to fingerprint a TB strain—like to look at its genetic makeup?
- How is tuberculosis spread to humans? Do we need to worry about milk, or does pasteurization take care of that?
- How would a producer suspect TB? What symptoms or signs should they look for in animals?
- How long might a trace-out investigation take in average circumstances?
- If a trace leads to my farm, how is that handled? What can I expect from CFIA?
- Is there surveillance in wildlife populations for things like bovine TB?
- Is TB something animals can be vaccinated against or treated for?
Listen on for the answers to these questions and more!
