Latest study suggests vaccination could address disease without disrupting social structures

The social lives of badgers are linked to their risk of infection with bovine tuberculosis (bTB), according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Exeter and the AHVLA's National Wildlife Management Centre have found that badgers infected with TB are less well connected to their own social groups than uninfected animals, but infected badgers are important for the spread of infection between groups.

More than 50 wild badgers were fitted with electronic "proximity collars" which automatically tracked their social contacts. In this way, Nicola Weber, PhD student at the University of Exeter, was able to build up a network of connections across the population and analyse the patterns of infection.

The research, which was funded by Defra, has been published in the journal Current Biology.

Commenting on the findings, Professor Robbie McDonald from the university, said: "This study has revealed an important link between social networks and TB infection. Infected animals were likely to be less important for spread within groups while at the same time being more important for spread between groups.

"Social stability is thought to mitigate disease spread, perhaps by maintaining the distinctive position of these individuals. Culling badgers perturbs social structures and we think our findings may help understanding of so-called ‘perturbation’, where culling has been linked to increases in TB in badgers.

"Curbing TB infection in wildlife remains a challenge. Vaccination has the potential to disrupt disease flow, without perturbing social network structures."

Researchers say this study could have implications outside of badgers, and the same techniques can be used to learn more about how infections spread in humans, livestock and other wildlife.

Publication of the research comes just days after it was confirmed that the pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire have come to a close, with both falling short of their target to remove 70 per cent of the population in each area.

An extension of the cull in Somerset has been granted by Natural England and an announcement about whether the culling period will also be extended in Gloucestershire is expected shortly.