The goat as an experimental ruminant model for tuberculosis infection

Young goats were inoculated intratracheally with a low dose of Mycobacterium bovis to determine if they develop lesions similar to those seen in the natural disease in cattle. After 3 months, the challenge induced small lesions (<1 cm diameter) localized in the lungs and pulmonary lymph nodes, similar to those seen in the natural cattle disease. All of the M. bovis-inoculated young goats showed strong cellular immune responses to bovine PPD. Results of the present study suggest that young goats can be used as animal models since a low dose challenge mimics the natural pathogenesis and pathology processes caused by M. bovis in cattle. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.