Surveillance of bovine tuberculosis in Sicily

Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) by M. bovis is a chronic infectious disease of cattle that can represent a risk to human health. bTB European Eradication Plans are based on tuberculin testing and slaughtering of reactive subjects. Despite control measures have been applied in Italy since 1964, illness is still present in Sicily. On 2012, regional official data reported an herd infection prevalence of 3.09% and an herd incidence of 2.37%. In the same year, head prevalence was of 0.70%. This study has analyzed the results of the control activity performed on cattle farm in Sicily between 2009-2012, with the aim to evaluate the bTB prevalence and incidence.