Efficacy of different diagnostic tests for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife: A comprehensive review

Mycobacterium bovis ( M. bovis ), the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), is recognized as a significant zoonotic pathogen at the intersection of wildlife, livestock, and humans. This comprehensive review aims to evaluate the prevalence of bTB in naturally infected wildlife species and the diagnostic characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value) of various screening tests, based on articles retrieved from electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and ScienceDirect) published between 2000 and 2024. Most tests for diagnosing bTB in wildlife were originally developed for M. bovis detection in domestic animals. Cell-mediated immunological (CMI) tests, including tuberculin skin test and interferon gamma-based assays, identify early disease stages, while antibody-based tests detect later infection stages in both live and dead animals. ELISA techniques are effective for large sample screening, and rapid tests enable quick field results. Due to complex pathogenesis and immune responses in M. bovis infection, no single test can accurately diagnose bTB across wildlife species, necessitating a combination of CMI and antibody-mediated assays. Latent class models using Bayesian or frequentist approaches are emerging as alternatives to imperfect gold standard tests. Recent advances include whole-genome sequencing for understanding Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolate diversity, along with artificial intelligence, machine learning, molecular diagnostic tools, and volatile organic compounds. The study highlighted to develop rapid, accurate, simple, and cost-effective diagnostic assays for the precise detection of bTB infection in wildlife. • The study analysed the prevalence and effectiveness of diagnostic tests for the detection of bTB infection in wildlife. • CMI based assays are mostly used for detection of early stages of the disease. • Antibody-based tests are used to detect chronic stages of infection in both live and dead animals. • There is a need to develop a rapid, precise, straightforward, and cost-effective test for detection of M. bovis in diverse wildlife species.