Testing a molasses-based bait for oral vaccination of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) against Mycobacterium bovis

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Michigan, USA, are wildlife reservoirs of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) with documented spread to cattle. In vaccine efficacy trials, Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) administered orally reduces colonization and bTB-associated lesions in wh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of wildlife research 2014-04, Vol.60 (2), p.265-270
Main Authors: Palmer, M. V, Stafne, M. R, Water, W. R, Thacker, T. C, Phillips, G. E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Baits
BCG vaccine
Biomedical and Life Sciences
bovine tuberculosis
cameras
cattle
Deer
Ecology
Environmental conditions
environmental factors
Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management
ice
Life Sciences
Mycobacterium bovis
Odocoileus virginianus
oral administration
oral vaccination
Original Paper
palatability
Stability analysis
Tuberculosis
Vaccines
viability
Wildlife
Zoology
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Summary:White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Michigan, USA, are wildlife reservoirs of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) with documented spread to cattle. In vaccine efficacy trials, Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) administered orally reduces colonization and bTB-associated lesions in white-tailed deer after experimental challenge with virulent M. bovis. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate the palatability of a molasses-based bait for oral delivery of BCG to white-tailed deer. Relevant practical properties of the bait such as physical stability under various environmental conditions were evaluated, as well as palatability. Captive deer consumed baits within 3 h of introduction during 48 of 50 trials. Digital game cameras revealed consumption of all placed baits by one deer over 62 % of the time. Addition of BCG vaccine did not negatively impact palatability. Physical stability analysis demonstrated that ice and water significantly reduced bait stability as measured with a compression assay. Storage of BCG-containing baits at 4 °C showed a slight decrease in colony-forming units (CFUs) by day 31. In contrast, storage at −20 or −80 °C over the same 31-day period showed no significant decrease in BCG viability. The results of this study suggest that molasses-based baits, as prepared here, represent a plausible means of oral delivery of BCG to whitetailed deer under most environmental conditions.
ISSN:1612-4642
1439-0574
DOI:10.1007/s10344-013-0777-9