Bovine TB Topic Of Dearborn, Franklin County Meetings

Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 7:27 AM

Press release from Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife (Brookville, Ind.) - The DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife has scheduled two public meetings to discuss a management and surveillance plan in response to the recent finding of bovine tuberculosis in a wild white-tailed deer.

Bovine Tuberculosis Q&A

Q. What is bovine tuberculosis (TB)? A. Bovine TB is a contagious, chronic bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis. The infection commonly involves the lungs, but it may spread to other organs. Animals often don’t show signs until the infection has reached an advanced stage. Q. What animals can it affect? A. Bovine TB primarily affects cattle, but it can be transmitted to any warmblooded animal, including people. Q. What are the symptoms of bovine TB? A. Bovine TB is difficult to diagnose with clinical signs alone. In the early stages of TB, clinical signs are not visible. In later stages, clinical signs may include: emaciation, lethargy, weakness, anorexia, low-grade fever, and pneumonia with a chronic, moist cough. Lymph nodes may also be enlarged. Q. What should I do if my animals show these symptoms? A. If you suspect TB in your herd, you should isolate the animal immediately and then call your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis. Source: Indiana Board of Animal Health The first meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Franklin County Government Center, 1010 Franklin Ave., Brookville, IN, 47012. The second meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21 at the Dearborn County Fairgrounds, 351 East Eads Parkway, Lawrenceburg, IN, 47025. DNR deer biologist Joe Caudell will outline the plan for deer hunting season that establishes a management zone in part of Fayette County and all of Franklin County, and a surveillance zone in part of Dearborn County. Hunter-harvested deer in those zones will be subject to periods of mandatory and voluntary submission to biological check stations so they can be tested for bovine tuberculosis. The Indiana State Department of Health will provide information on human health concerns at the meeting, and the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) will share information about domestic animals. In April, BOAH identified bovine tuberculosis (bTB) at a Franklin County cattle farm. The infected cattle herd was depopulated, and BOAH partnered with the DNR and USDA Wildlife and Veterinary Services to test free-ranging wildlife on the cattle farm. A 2-year-old doe that was culled in August as part of the surveillance effort was diagnosed with bTB, marking the first time the disease has been found in a wild animal in Indiana. RELATED STORIES: Bovine TB Management, Surveillance Plans For SE Ind. Deer Bovine TB Found In Franklin Co. Deer; Testing Area Expanded DNR Biologists Set To Test For Bovine TB In SEI White-Tailed Deer Bovine TB Focus Of June 30 Meeting In Franklin Co. Bovine TB Traced To Southeast Indiana Farm