The experience of new European Union Member States concerning the control of bovine tuberculosis

On 1 May 2004, 10 new States joined the European Union, including Cyprus (CY), the Czech Republic (CR), Estonia (ES), Hungary (HU), Latvia (LA), Lithuania (LI), Malta (MA), Poland (PO), Slovakia (SK), and Slovenia (SN). Using OIE and published data, this paper summarises the status of bovine and human tuberculosis in animals in these countries between 1996 and 2003. National control programmes against bovine tuberculosis in cattle have been successful: the current herd incidence of this disease in cattle is currently lower than 0.2%, so all countries meet the OIE requirements for freedom from the disease. Furthermore, two countries have already been officially declared bovine tuberculosis-free EU States: the CR on 31 March 2004 (European Commission Decision No. 2004/320/EC) and SK on 4 March 2005 (Commission Decision No. 2005/179/EC). The last outbreak of bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in cattle in CY (1928), ES (1986), LA (1989), SK (1993), CR (1995), and MA (2001). However, several issues of concern remain including the potential existence of a wildlife reservoir, the presence of Mycobacterium bovis, M. caprae, and other members of the M. tuberculosis complex (particularly M. tuberculosis or M. microti) in imported domestic or wild animals, and the potential for delayed detection of bovine tuberculosis in those States where annual tuberculin testing is no longer performed on cattle older than 24 months.