Combining genomics and epidemiology to analyse bi-directional transmission of <i>Mycobacterium bovis</i> in a multi-host system.

ABSTRACT: Quantifying pathogen transmission in multi-host systems is difficult, as exemplified in bovine tuberculosis (bTB) systems, but is crucial for control. The agent of bTB, Mycobacterium bovis, persists in cattle populations worldwide, often where potential wildlife reservoirs exist. However, the relative contribution of different host species to bTB persistence is generally unknown. In Britain, the role of badgers in infection persistence in cattle is highly contentious, despite decades of research and control efforts. We applied Bayesian phylogenetic and machine-learning approaches to bacterial genome data to quantify the roles of badgers and cattle in M. bovis infection dynamics in the presence of data biases. Our results suggest that transmission occurs more frequently from b

SUBMITTER: Crispell J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6917503 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature