Epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in the Republic of Serbia with a brief overview of the current epidemiological situation in the region

Abstract

In the Republic of Serbia, bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in cattle is found sporadically. In the early 1950s, Serbia started implementing the national bovine tuberculosis control and eradication program, including mandatory annual intradermal tuberculin testing of cattle in the national herd, culling of infected animals, and movement restrictions on infected herds. A failure to eradicate BTB in some parts of Serbia, despite significant efforts over almost 40 years, has been attributed to high stocking rates and cattle density, illegal cattle movements, lack of biosecurity, and possible connection with wildlife reservoirs. In 2005, Serbia started the bovine tuberculosis eradication program in accordance with the new national legislation harmonized with the European legislation. The tuberculin test performs well at the herd level but has its limitations when used at the level of individual animals. Nevertheless, there is a need for extended use of IFN-γ test to supplement the intradermal tuberculin test.