Tuberculosis caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis remains one of the most important infectious diseases of man and animals. The current vaccine, M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) demonstrates variable efficacy in humans and cattle, and so an urgent need exists for a new vaccine to replace or supplement BCG. Novel vaccine development requires the availability of a suitable animal model in which to test potential vaccine candidates. Models for tuberculosis vaccine development include mice, guinea pigs, cattle and non-human primates. Murine models provide an economical and easily manipulated tool, but the natural aerosol infection route requires extensive facilities, equipment and validation. We sought to develop a logistically simpler intranasal M. bovis infection model for use in vaccine development for bovine tuberculosis.

Intranasal M. bovis infection model in mice demonstrated distinct airway associated, dose related pathology, and was strikingly more virulent than previously employed intravenous infection with M. bovis. BCG vaccination of intranasal challenged mice induced 2 logs of protection with similar kinetics as those displayed in M. tuberculosis aerosol infection models. In conclusion, we report the development of a virulent, robust, stringent, physiological and inexpensive M. bovis intranasal infection model for the screening of potential vaccine candidates against bovine tuberculosis.