Bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a well-known zoonoti
c disease which affects cattle world-wide. The public health risk has been
alleviated in many countries by the introduction of pasteurisation, but the
disease continues to cause production losses when poorly controlled. The O
ffice International des Epizooties classifies bovine tuberculosis as a List
B disease, a disease which is considered to be of socio-economic or public
health importance within countries and of significance to the internationa
l trade of animals and animal products. Consequently, most developed nation
s have embarked on campaigns to eradicate M. bovis from the cattle populati
on or at least to control the spread of infection. The success of these era
dication and control programmes has been mixed. Mycobacterium bovis infects
other animal species, both domesticated and wild, and this range of hosts
may complicate attempts to control or eradicate the disease in cattle.