Tuberculosis, bovine - Canada (MN)

International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Source: CFIA [edited]
< http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/newcom/2006/20060919e.shtml>

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has
declared livestock in the area around Manitoba's
Riding Mountain National Park free of bovine
tuberculosis (TB). The region, referred to as the
Riding Mountain TB Eradication Area, had been the
only part of Canada without TB-free status.

The new designation is based on a sustained and
aggressive surveillance program that has found no
cases of bovine TB in livestock in the area since
April 2003. The CFIA¹s enhanced surveillance
program began in 2002 and has closely monitored
the health of all area cattle and farmed bison
herds through approximately 142 000 TB tests.

Area producers are no longer required to obtain
CFIA movement permits for cattle and farmed
bison. This measure effectively contained the
spread of the disease by ensuring that only
animals from herds testing negative for bovine TB
were allowed to leave the area.

The Parks Canada Agency and the Province of
Manitoba have maintained efforts to address the
bovine TB problem in wild elk and deer in and
around the park since 2000. These initiatives
limited opportunities for potential bovine TB
transmission between wildlife and livestock, and
played a significant role in restoring the area¹s
TB-free status as quickly as possible. In
addition, the strong support and cooperation of
livestock industry groups and individual
producers in the area enhanced the CFIA¹s bovine TB management activities.

Bovine TB is a reportable disease under the
Health of Animals Act. The CFIA follows a strict
surveillance and eradication program to detect
and respond to bovine TB in cattle, farmed bison
and farmed cervids. Whenever an infected herd is
found, the CFIA institutes measures to contain
and eradicate the outbreak. All infected animals
and any exposed susceptible animals are
immediately and humanely destroyed, and compensation is paid to the owners.

For information see the main TB page
< http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/disemala/tuber/tubere.shtml>

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Media Relations: (613) 228-6682
Parks Canada Agency
Media Relations: (204)848-7240