Infographic: Tuberculosis Testing Process

When a positive case of tuberculosis has been found, all adult cattle that could have come in contact with an infected animal must be quarantined and tested.

An inspector performs two diagnostic screening tests

Tuberculin is injected into the animal's skin

A blood sample is drawn

After 72 hours, the cows must be re-assembled in order to read the skin test. If either test is positive, the infected animal will be humanely slaughtered and tissue samples will be collected for confirmatory testing.

DNA testing is used to confirm bovine tuberculosis bacteria

If test is negative, samples are cultured for 8-12 weeks in a CFIA laboratory

A second round of DNA testing is done to detect tuberculosis bacteria

If all the adult cattle test negative, the herd can be released from quarantine^Footnote 1.

If any adult cattle tests positive, the infected animal and the entire herd (including those which tested negative) will be humanely depopulated.

A new investigation is done to determine potential spread to cows in other herds

Total testing time: 14 weeks