The 30th anniversary of eradication of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in Czechoslovakia

Thirty years ago, in 1968, tuberculosis eradication programme was successfully finished, and the disease was eliminated from cattle herds on the whole territory of Czechoslovakia. Its prevalence in cattle decreased from 21.29% to 0.03% within seven years. When the programme with stringent control measures was initiated, 92% of cattle herds were positive for tuberculosis. The eradication was successful above all due to isolation of infected animals, separate keeping of young cattle, immediate culling of animals with manifest clinical tuberculosis. Of great importance was also good coordination of the programme with veterinarians, farmers, epidemiologists, contract purchasers, chemical and machine industry, state administration, and financial support provided by the state amounting to 1 billion and 52 millions of crowns. Another important outcome of this eradication programme was a decrease of the disease in cattle but also in other animal species, and above all, in man. Its remarkable efficacy and economic impact was of great importance not only in animal production but also in public health context because the prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis in humans decreased from 10% to less than one tenth after the programme was finished.