Modelling environmental transmission of bovine tuberculosis between cattle and badgers; impact of interventions and spatial heterogeneity

Summary

Bovine tuberculosis remains a persistent issue in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), despite extensive eradication efforts. European badgers play an important role in maintenance and transmission of bTB in cattle, based on several large-scale badger culling trials in Ireland. Badgers are a protected species and culling is therefore not a feasible long-term control measure. In 2018, badger intra-muscular BCG vaccination was introduced as policy as part of the national eradication program, to progressively replace badger culling. While badger vaccination has since been rolled out across parts of the country, it is unclear whether badger vaccination, implemented nationally in addition to cattle test-and-removal, is sufficient to eradicate bTB. This thesis aimed to assess the effectiveness of badger vaccination in bTB eradication programme and to improve our understanding of transmission between cattle and badgers whilst accounting for spatial heterogeneity.