§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What research has been conducted into the reasons why some animals and humans appear to demonstrate natural resistance to tuberculosis. [HL1853]
§ Lord DonoughueResearch has been undertaken into the nature of the immune response in humans to infection with tuberculosis. It is not known why some individuals with apparently normal immunity go on to develop tuberculosis disease while others do not.
The nature of immune response to M.bovis in badgers and cattle has been studied in order to help develop vaccine or diagnostic tests. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is financing genetic studies in badgers, but as yet there is no evidence that some animals are more resistant than others to tuberculosis.