A mathematical model for Mycobacterium bovis excretion from tuberculous cattle.

An analysis was carried out of available information from a series of experiments on the excretion of M. bovis from infected cattle. The analysis indicated that an inverse exponential relationship exists between 'dose' of organisms given and the delay before excretion commences. This relationship was represented mathematically. Available field data supported the relationship and indicated that in natural bovine tuberculosis excretion of M. bovis begins around 87 days after infection occurs. It is also suggested that the data supports the concept of single nuclei infections in cattle.