The Genetic Landscape of Bovine TB across Wales Is Mapped: Whole-Genome Sequencing of 379 Samples Shows Genetically Distinct Strains by Region, in Scientific Reports
Wales, United Kingdom — A study published in Scientific Reports on November 11, 2026 used whole-genome sequencing to analyze the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium bovis in Wales. The research was led by scientists at the Sêr Cymru Center of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis at Aberystwyth University, in collaboration with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Queen's University Belfast, and examined 379 samples collected from infected animals across Wales in 2021.
Bovine tuberculosis is one of the most significant animal health challenges facing Wales, affecting cattle health and farm businesses and placing emotional, social and financial pressures on farming communities. Understanding how the bacterium spreads within and between cattle and wildlife populations and changes over time can help develop more effective ways to control the disease.
The research found that different regions of Wales contain genetically distinct strains of the bacterium, suggesting that it is evolving differently in different regions in ways that may influence how it survives and interacts with its hosts. The research also identified strains not normally found in Wales, potentially linked to cattle movements from outside the country.
Lead author Dr. Amy Healey, lecturer in ecology at Aberystwyth University, said that by analyzing the genome sequences of M. bovis samples, the team built the most detailed picture to date of the bacterium's genetic diversity in Wales, and that the findings highlight the importance of understanding disease transmission at a local level. Co-author Dr. Amanda Gibson added that the findings provide the most detailed picture yet of the M. bovis population in Wales and will help researchers investigate why bovine TB persists and support more effective disease-control strategies. The paper carries DOI 10.1038/s41598-026-57014-2. All details follow the Scientific Reports paper and the research team release.
Source: Scientific
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：一群牛在牧场上吃草，图中是牧场牛群的实物照片，为牛结核研究题材通用配图，非研究采样现场。照片：Jeremy Bolwell 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。
