Clinical and Vaccine Immunology publish this investigation article

January 1^st, 2014

Wildlife vaccination is increasingly considered an option for tuberculosis control. We combined data from laboratory trials and an on-going field trial to assess the risk of oral BCG vaccine and a prototype heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis preparation for Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa). We studied adverse reactions, BCG survival, BCG excretion, and bait uptake by non-target species. No adverse reactions were observed after administration of BCG (n = 27) or inactivated M. bovis (n = 21). BCG was not found at necropsy, 175 to 300 days post-vaccination (n = 27). No BCG excretion was detected in fecal samples (n = 162) or in urine and nasal, oral and fecal swabs at 258 days post-vaccination (n = 29). In the field we found no evidence of loss of BCG viability in baits collected after 36 h (temperature range: 11-41°C). Camera trapping showed that wild boar (39%) and birds (56%) were the most frequent visitors to bait stations (selective feeders). Wild boar activity patterns were nocturnal while diurnal activities were recorded in all bird species. We found a high proportion of chewed capsules (likely ingestion of the vaccine; 29%) and lost baits (presumably consumed; 39%), and the proportion of chewed capsules showed a positive correlation with wild boar presence. Both results suggest proper bait consumption (68%). These results indicate that BCG vaccination in wild boar is safe and that, while bait consumption by other species is possible, this can be minimized by using selective cages and a strict timing of bait deployment

Beltran-Beck B., Romero B., Sevilla I., Barasona JA., Garrido JM., Gonzalez-Barrio D., Diez-Delgado I., Minguijon E., Casal C., Vicente J., Gortazar C. and Aranaz A.

Assessment of an Oral Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vaccine and an Inactivated M. bovis Preparation for Wild Boar in Terms of Adverse Reactions, Vaccine Strain Survival, and Uptake by Nontarget Species

Assessment of an Oral Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vaccine and an Inactivated M. bovis Preparation for Wild Boar in Terms of Adverse Reactions, Vaccine Strain Survival, and Uptake by Nontarget Species

	Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio). Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC). Universidad de Castilla La Mancha (UCLM). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM).
	Servicio de Micobacterias (MYC). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM).
	Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario (NEIKER).
	Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM).