Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease that affects cattle, as well as many other species. Scotland is officially free from bovine tuberculosis.
EPIC scientists have used statistical and mathematical modelling to help Scotland maintain its Official Tuberculosis (TB) Free status within the European Union. Although there is some transmission of bovine TB in Scotland, this can usually be traced back to cattle imported from elsewhere in the United Kingdom or Ireland. Additional testing requirements appear to have led to a decrease in imports from high-risk areas. Using machine learning tools, EPIC scientists have also refined risk-based surveillance strategies; the best approach to TB surveillance is to continue annual testing for cattle imported from historically high TB incidence areas in England and Wales.
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