GOATBFREE

Tools to eradicate tuberculosis in goats

  • Date: 01/09/2020 – 31/08/2023
  • Project Manager at NEIKER: Iker Agirregomoskorta Sevilla
  • Total budget: 300,000 Euros
  • Department: Animal Health Department
  • Partners: VISAVET, IRTA-CRESA and NEIKER

Animal tuberculosis continues to be a serious problem in many countries and the attempts to eradicate this disease have chiefly centred on bovine cattle. This is due to the economic importance of bovine cattle-farming within the primary sector, and above all the zoonotic nature of the disease. The risk to human health is currently very low thanks to the efficacy of heat treatments used in milk processing, but even so, 0.4% of human tuberculosis is due to Mycobacterium bovis (EFSA and ECDC, 2018); nevertheless, it is impossible to specify the contagion source.

Today, it continues to be the species most resources are being invested in taking into account the eradication plans carried out in affected countries. However, it has shown to be a disease shared by different species both domestic and wild, moreover its eradication requires a holistic approach bearing in mind the role of other species. Among the domestic species goats are the most susceptible to catching this disease. Thus, this proposal aims to delve into the control of caprine tuberculosis, using the goat as a model at the same time to continue the advance towards eradicating bovine tuberculosis.

Project PID2019-105155RB-C33 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033: