News

Targeting Bovine Tuberculosis

The Mycobacterial Diseases of Animals (MDA) Multistate Initiative has been selected by the Gates Foundation to lead development of a plan to control bovine tuberculosis around the world. The first meeting will be in Morocco in December and will focus on developing a plan to fight the disease in Africa where it is endemic in domesticated and wild animals.

Ken Olson is outreach coordinator for MDA, he says the conference will bring together international experts who know the disease and those who know the animals. The objective is to develop and initially use the plan in Africa and then eventually world-wide. Olson hopes the plan is successful and can be utilized in Mexico where bovine TB is also endemic.

The Gates Foundation will review the plan for funding as part of their ongoing work.

Olson talks about the effort: