Agriculture Committee on Dec. 4th, 2018

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

We have been working on the timeline of the animal's life. All I can say at this point in time is that the animal may have stopped at a few different stops, mostly at the auction marts and the loading stations. There may be some farms involved, but we don't know exactly where this particular animal may have been, so we are in the process of doing that. Our immediate work is to look at the farm in direct contact because we want to look at the scope of the infection first. Then we want to look at where it has gone from this farm; that's the trace-out. Then we'll look at where it came from; that's the trace-in.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

You mentioned that the disease can live within an animal for several years and that it can take some time for the symptoms to show themselves. Is there a period of time in the disease's life cycle within an animal when it's more contagious than other times? An animal can appear healthy, but is it when it's maybe coughing, sneezing and showing signs of mucus that it's in the most contagious phase?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

Yes, that is the most contagious phase. If the animal has inhaled or ingested the bacteria, the bacteria will go into the animal. The way that it works is that the bacteria tries to insulate itself from the immune system of the animal, so it starts making an envelope of layers around itself, and it starts making a big ball. That's what we found in this animal. When it bursts, sometimes the animal can start spitting through sputum or the respiratory tract, and that's the infectious stage. The problem is that it can be anywhere between a year to five years; we don't know when this abscess is going to burst.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

What is the main treatment? Can it be treated effectively through antibiotics, or is it pretty much a quarantine and a cull?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

As I said, there's also a public health issue. We've worked in Canada since 1923 to eradicate bovine TB from Canada because when we have to treat an animal or a human being with antibiotics it's a long treatment. Sometimes it could be six months to a year, with heavy doses of antibiotic. That's why we prefer to eradicate TB rather than treat it.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Have there been occurrences in the past where you've had strains that have shown resistance to antibiotics? Is that another factor that you consider?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

It's hard to verify in this bacteria because it is so hard to grow in the lab. Looking at the resistance by doing what we call an antibiogram is very difficult. We can look, but I don't have the data right now on whether Mycobacterium bovis is actually resistant to antibiotics. Given that you have to give very strong antibiotics for a long period of time, and given that the bacteria is inside the layers of a big ball, it's very hard for those antibiotics to penetrate. The antibiotic may actually have negative impacts on other systems and organs in the animal or human being.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I'm familiar with a lot of the herds in the southern part of British Columbia. The farmers have vast range lands and often they're out in the middle of the forest. I used to see them as a former tree planter. The disease has been virtually eradicated. However, in looking for theories of how this may have come about, this particular case, is it a disease that can be harboured within wildlife, such as the deer population? Is that a possible theory of transmission?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

It is quite possible. However, our colleagues—not CFIA but the provincial governments—actually have surveillance programs. In this case, the B.C. government has decided to do a surveillance of these farms and see if there are any cases of bovine TB.

At this time, and even last time, we have tried to do the trace-ins. Given that cases of bovine TB are so rare now, it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but we still want to go and look at all the theories of where this may have come from.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

You said you have a neutral to positive reaction from our international partners. What are your statutory requirements? How often are you required to report to them on your progress on this?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

TB is a reportable disease, and it's also a listed disease with the OIE. We're only required to report through the OIE to the world on a six-month basis. However, we also let our immediate trading partners know how we're carrying out the investigation. In order to be proactive like the U.S., the EU, Japan and Mexico, we tell these countries how we're dealing with this, both as a courtesy and to satisfy them that it's all under control

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Dr. Komal, Mr. MacGregor, thank you both.

Mr. Poissant, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

So these infections are not transmitted through the food chain. It's always good to know that we have a reliable system.

I would like us to talk about dairy producers and how you detect infections. Are there routine examinations to analyze the milk? What are the detection tools?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

Thank you for the question.

We have two programs. First, we have a passive monitoring program. When their productive life is over, dairy cows are sent to the abattoir.

We also have a post-mortem detection program. Since the frequency of infection cases is really very low, we don't want to do active monitoring. Moreover, since all of the milk in Canada is pasteurized, infections, should there be any, are eliminated. So the risks to human beings are non-existent.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

Fine.

Cattle are not the only animals that can be infected. Does traceability for all species function well, and is it effective?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

Traceability is different from one sector to another. Certain sectors are at a given stage, which may not be the same in other sectors. In Canada, the traceability process is not the same everywhere. We are in fact setting up a process to modernize traceability regulations. We will get there one day, but for the time being, traceability is more effective in some sectors than in others.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

When the announcement is made that a case has been detected, how do importing countries react?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

Canada is one of the rare countries that has managed to almost completely eliminate bovine tuberculosis in all of the herds, nationally. People know that it is normal that there be a few cases every two or three years. When we tell those countries that we are conducting a complete investigation, they say that they are very confident in our system. We are very proactive in our communication with them. I took the time to speak with my chief veterinary colleagues in the importing countries.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

So the follow-up is good.

If I understood correctly, this is the second time there has been a case in the same place. Is there a particular reason for that?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

No, that's not it. The 2016 case was in Alberta, and today we have a first case in British Columbia. There were cases in 2011, but they were in another location also.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

I see; I'm sorry.

From the moment when you detect a case at the abattoir, how much time elapses before you track down the herd that is at issue? I know the work takes time, but how long does it take to locate the herd of the infected animal?

[Dr. Jaspinder Komal]

As I said, it was quick this time because we drew lessons from the last case, and we had changed our policy. On October 26, samples were delivered to the lab, and we had the results on November 9. I think they arrived Thursday or Friday, and on Monday we knew which herd was involved. In fact, we knew that Friday afternoon. It was a lot quicker this time.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

I'm done, thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Mr. Peschisolido, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Chair, thank you.

Mr. Komal, thank you for your testimony.

Obviously, this is a serious issue. We've talked a little bit about how it occurred. Can we talk a little bit about how we can prevent it from happening again? As you know, we've had a program in place since the early 1920s, I believe. Should we be updating that program?