TB: Current status and control: A view from the outside (Reprinted from Cattle Practice, vol 9, pt 4)

Eradication of tuberculosis in cattle in the presence of significant levels of infection in wildlife populations cannot be achieved with currently available methods of disease control. In fact, the incidence of infected herds in the United Kingdom has doubled over the last five years, despite increased and refined control efforts. It is now becoming clear that in the medium to long term new control methods will have to be developed, and these will require a better understanding of the relative weighting of different sources of infection to cattle. But before these methods become available, it should be possible to limit further spread of infection through implementation of a risk assessment/management framework for cattle tuberculosis based on farm or area specific TB health plans.