Bovine tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, has a unique and complex ecology in New Zealand. Unlike elsewhere in the world, the disease is maintained in Australian brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and so they are considered a vector for disease transmission in New Zealand. Possums were initially introduced to the country in the 1800’s to establish a fur industry but later becoming a recognized pest to native New Zealand flora and fauna. The TB programme in New Zealand (TBFree NZ Ltd) is managed by a not-for-profit limited company partnership between primary industries and government (OSPRI – Operational Solutions for Primary Industries) that uses the basic tenets of disease management, movement control and vector control to eliminate TB in farmed cattle and deer. Evidence of resounding success in the TB control programme resulted in the 2016 decision to pursue full biological eradication of disease from the country by 2055, with the interim objectives of TB freedom in livestock herds by 2026 and TB freedom in possums by 2040. The programme has progressed from an all-time high of 1698 infected herds in 1995 to the lowest recorded point prevalence of 18 infected herds in May 2022. Enhancements that have contributed to the success of the programme include testing with gamma-interferon release assay (Bovigam™) of animals in infected herds that are negative to the skin test (parallel interpretation), culturing pooled lymph nodes from animals without visible lesions, increased testing of herds post-clearance and introduction of post-movement testing of high-risk animals.

中文翻译：

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新西兰的牛结核病——从流行到根除的历程

牛结核病 (TB) 由牛分枝杆菌引起，在新西兰具有独特而复杂的生态。与世界其他地方不同，这种疾病存在于澳大利亚刷尾负鼠（Trichosurus vulpecula）中，因此它们被认为是新西兰疾病传播的媒介。负鼠最初于 1800 年代被引入新西兰，以建立毛皮工业，但后来成为新西兰本土动植物群公认的害虫。新西兰的结核病项目 (TBFree NZ Ltd) 由初级产业和政府之间的非营利性有限责任公司合作伙伴关系 (OSPRI –初级产业运营解决方案) 管理，该项目采用疾病管理、运动控制和媒介传播等基本原则控制消除养殖牛和鹿中的结核病。结核病控制计划取得巨大成功的证据促使 2016 年决定到 2055 年在该国实现全面生物消灭疾病，中期目标是到 2026 年牲畜群消除结核病，到 2040 年负鼠消除结核病。从 1995 年 1698 个受感染牛群的历史最高点进展到 2022 年 5 月 18 个受感染牛群的最低记录点流行率。该计划成功的改进包括使用伽玛干扰素释放测定 (Bovigam™) 进行测试皮试阴性的受感染牛群中的动物（平行解释），培养没有明显病变的动物的汇集淋巴结，增加清理后牛群的测试，并引入高风险动物的移动后测试。