Can the TB test used for badgers differentiate between active TB and antibodies to the TB vaccine?

I understand that cattle are not vaccinated against TB because the current test in use would become invalid if cattle were vaccinated.   I assume this is because the test is unable to differentiate between antibodies to the vaccine and active TB.  The same would surely apply to badgers as well.

Should badgers be tested for TB prior to vaccination?

Yes.  It is misguided and dangerous to vaccinate against TB without prior testing.  I believe that vaccinating already infected badgers could result in the emergence of a new stronger strain of the disease.  Also, these already infected and vaccinated badgers will continue to infect other animals, and their future cubs could be born with the disease and the cycle will continue.

TB has remained a major problem in many Third World Countries even though they have been fully implementing the World Health Organisation (WHO) TB vaccination program for decades.  All babies are vaccinated against TB without prior testing.  Therein lies the problem, that babies born with congenital TB are vaccinated instead of being treated.  On the other hand, polio has been eradicated in countries which fully implement the WHO vaccination program.  This program also vaccinates without prior testing.  However, the enormous difference is that polio is an obvious disease, is easily seen and the babies are treated not vaccinated if they have the disease.  TB is not an obvious disease.  It does not become obvious until it is quite advanced and that usually takes a long time.

Should taxpayers fund the badger TB vaccine program?

Yes, because TB and its prevention are public health issues.  The cost of a well managed program will be astronomical (trapping, testing, holding in captivity pending test results, then vaccinating or culling.  After which, vaccinated badgers would have to be chipped or tagged).  Hopefully funds could be diverted from Foreign Aid.

Why is TB infected meat being sold into the food chain?

It seems that this has been done to recover the costs of culling TB infected animals (including compensation to farmer's).  Times are hard, money is short and it's accepted that funding cuts have had to be made. However, this is a health risk.  Perhaps some of the foreign aid could be redirected towards TB prevention.

 Bovine TB in milk as well as beef

Cattle with TB sold as food by government department

Badger cull and the TB meat scandal