Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have a specific question on the accuracy of the tuberculin skin test, which has been in use for nearly 60 years. It is about time we looked at something more effective to deal with the incidence of TB. There were reports last month in the UK media about a cow in respect of which the skin test produced negative results for five years but which was found to be riddled with TB when slaughtered. The cow was tested after 2007 in a college farm herd of 300 in Carmarthenshire. All monitoring, supervision and regulation was in place but the animal seemed to go under the radar. My concern is that there is a tension between cost and effectiveness in TB testing. The interferon-gamma test is very effective at identifying TB but it cannot be used as a surveillance test. Has any progress been made on the new Enfer blood test, which could function as a surveillance test and would be far more effective?

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