Development of a comparative test with equal concentrations of avian and bovine PPD tuberculin for cattle
Huitema, H.
Tijdschrift Voor Diergeneeskunde 98(8): 396-407
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0040-7453 PMID: 4600140 Document Number: 68061
By application of a comparative test (C.T.) using 2000 units avian tuberculin and 7500 units bovine tuberculin, many animals which had initially reacted could be declared as non-specific reactors to bovine tuberculin. Despite this test, too many animals had still to be regarded as TB suspects and hence slaughtered. Preliminary experiments on reacting, but probably non-tuberculous, animals with a C.T. using equal concentrations of avian and bovine tuberculin indicated that more animals than before could now be designated as non-specific reactors. Further work denoted that a test with 2000 units both for avian and bovine tuberculin gave on the whole favourable results. The test can be recommended as a subsequent test after a single test with 5000 units bovine tuberculin for countries and areas virtually free from bovine TB. The test has been carried out with favourable results in this way in the Netherlands since 1964. For the interpretation of the reactions of a single animal not only the place of the reaction plot in the key diagram should be taken into account but also the reactions of other animals in the herd and the herd history.