Can Bulk Milk Revolutionise TB Testing?

Defra对英国牛结核病(BTB)战略的审查承认牛结核病是英国最紧迫的动物健康问题。Enferplex牛结核病抗体检测是一种用于检测血清和牛奶中牛结核病的多重ELISA测试，由三家公司合作开发：英格兰Synergy Farm Health Ltd的子公司SureFarm Ltd、苏格兰的MV Diagnostics Ltd和Enfer Group(Eire)的Enfer Science ULC。检测显示出对散装牛奶中的BTB的高度敏感性和特异性。使用散装牛奶作为监测工具在控制结核病方面提供了重要机会，通过更容易的监测和改进控制，降低了养殖场和纳税人的成本。检测正在评估过程中，供世界动物卫生办公室批准，如果被接受，将要求英国政府对任何牛群检测呈阳性的情况施加强制性限制。因此，有机会了解这项检测将为英国的牛结核病控制带来的价值，而不会对乳制品行业和个别农场造成风险。我们计划对使用Enferplex bTB抗体检测散装牛奶的结果进行一项GB范围的纵向研究。具体而言，本研究将集中于：1.从目前受限制的牛群中获得的检测结果。虽然已经为世界动物卫生组织提交的材料阐明了检测的敏感性，但这是基于单个时间点，重复检测可能会提高敏感性。目前被官方指定为无结核病(OTF)的牛群有多少将通过测试确定为阳性。了解血清阳性和/或阳性抗原数量与牛群牛结核病状态之间的关系。了解血清阳性和/或阳性抗原反应的变化对跟踪牛群结核病控制措施的进展或其他方面的预测价值。这两个参数中的任何一个的水平下降可能意味着牛群正在走向无疾病状态；反之亦然，上升的水平可能表明当前的行动未能控制牛群已经受到限制的疾病。了解该测试是否可以用作低风险OTF牛群的监测工具。该项目得到了全国农民联盟(NFU)和英国牛兽医协会(BCVA)的全力支持。

A Defra review of UK bovine tuberculosis (bTB) strategy acknowledged bTB as the most pressing animal health problem in the UK.The Enferplex Bovine TB Antibody Test is a multiplex ELISA test for the detection of bTB in serum and milk, developed as a collaboration between three companies: SureFarm Ltd, a subsidiary of Synergy Farm Health Ltd (England), MV Diagnostics Ltd (Scotland) and Enfer Scientific ULC, part of Enfer Group (Eire).The test shows high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of bTB in bulk milk. The use of bulk milk as a surveillance tool offers significant opportunities in the control of TB, reducing costs to both farm and taxpayer through easier surveillance and improved control.The test is in the process of evaluation for approval by the World Office of Animal Health, which if accepted would require the UK Government to place mandatory restrictions on any herd testing positive. Therefore, there is a window of opportunity to develop understanding of the value that the test would bring to bTB control in the UK, without risk to the dairy industry and individual farms.We plan a GB wide, longitudinal study on the outcomes of testing bulk milk with the Enferplex bTB Antibody Test. Specifically, the study will focus on:1\. Test results obtained from herds currently under restriction. While the sensitivity of the test has already been elucidated for the OIE submission, this was based on a single time point and repeating the test may enhance sensitivity.2\. How many herds currently designated Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) would be determined positive by the test.3\. Understanding the relationship between seropositivity and/or the number of positive antigens and herd bTB status.4\. Understanding the predictive value of changes in seropositivity and/or the number of positive antigen reactions for tracking progress, or otherwise, of herd bTB control measures. Falling levels of either parameter may suggest a herd moving towards disease freedom; vice versa, rising levels may indicate that current actions are failing to control disease where the herd is already under restriction.5\. Understanding whether the test could be used as a monitoring tool for low risk OTF herds.The project has the full support of the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA).