Modeling the Effects of Vaccination and Treatment With Third-Generation Macrolides or Oxytetracyclines on Persistence and Impact of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia.

This research assesses the impact of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) vaccination, treatment, and combined vaccination and treatment at the herd and population level in heterogeneous, stochastic, state-transition models of CBPP transmission. Results from published trials with oxytetracycline or third-generation macrolides (tulathromycin and gamithromycin) were used to inform parameters for antibiotic treatment. Societies have evolved and the levels of movement control responsible for the previous success of vaccination programs are no longer possible. Current vaccines, when applied in the absence of movement control, did not result in eradication. For hypothetical vaccines with 85%-95% efficacy and 3 years duration of immunity, more than 3 years of biannual vaccination would be required to reduce herd prevalence to near eradication levels. The results of treatment scenarios indicated that small-scale, focused community-based programs working through trained community members to systematically detect and treat suspect cases with oxytetracyclines or third-generation macrolides can eliminate CBPP from defined endemic populations within a period of 6 months. Oxytetracylcines are effective, inexpensive, and widely available. The rapid clinical response to the third-generation macrolides is an additional, direct incentive of interest to livestock owners and has the potential to entirely change the economics of CBPP control programs. Development and validation of effective, practical treatment protocols have the potential to reduce total antibiotic use over the current situation of widespread, haphazard use of antibiotics and enhance antibiotic stewardship. Combined programs covering regions that promote treatment of clinical cases and vaccination of the contact population at risk are of interest. Large scale treatment and vaccination approaches have the potential to eliminate infection in time frames of 2-3 years. In the future, pilot control programs based on public-private-community partnerships should be implemented at the community level that addresses the technical strategy, the modern institutional and socioeconomic challenges, and new opportunities for control.