Malta fails to regain TB-free status for its cows

Malta has failed to regain its official disease-free status for bovine tuberculosis after a European Commission audit found the country’s eradication efforts remain insufficient.

The audit cites weaknesses in surveillance, outdated plans and gaps in testing across cattle farms.

Malta was declared officially free of bovine tuberculosis in March 2016. However, this status was suspended two years later after an outbreak was confirmed on a cattle farm in November 2017. The European Commission withdrew Malta’s disease-free recognition in May 2018.

Since then, Malta has been unable to provide the level of evidence required to demonstrate that the disease has been eradicated from its cow population.

The latest audit was carried out by two officials from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) between 13 and 18 March 2026. It concluded that Malta still lacks the “sufficient and reliable epidemiological data” needed to demonstrate that infection with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) has been eliminated.

MTBC includes Mycobacterium bovis, the main cause of tuberculosis in cows. Bovine tuberculosis is classified as a listed animal disease under the EU’s Animal Health Law because it can spread between animals and humans.

The latest audit identified several “major shortcomings” in the national control programme

Although the official programme claims to cover all cattle holdings, auditors found that surveillance in practice has focused mainly on dairy farms. Smaller holdings involved in beef production or cattle fattening have been largely excluded from regular testing for several years.

The report concluded that “the current measures taken by the veterinary authorities are not sufficient for Malta to demonstrate freedom from MTBC infection and regain its disease-free status”.

The audit also highlighted administrative difficulties affecting monitoring. In 2025, around 10% of dairy farms were not tested within the required 12-month period because of staff shortages and a major reorganisation within the Food Safety and Security Authority (FSSA).

Auditors also found weaknesses in record-keeping, with veterinarians not consistently documenting skin thickness measurements taken during tuberculin tests. This raised concerns over whether test results could be properly verified.

Despite these shortcomings, the European Commission found that the risk to public health remains low.

The report noted that there have been no confirmed MTBC cases in Malta since the 2017 outbreak and that the country does not have wildlife reservoirs, such as badgers or wild boar, which can maintain and spread the disease in other countries.

Public health safeguards include legislation prohibiting the sale of raw milk for direct consumption. Meat inspection procedures at Malta’s two authorised slaughterhouses also remain in place to identify possible signs of infection in animals entering the food chain.

However, auditors warned that without more comprehensive surveillance, authorities cannot fully demonstrate that the disease has disappeared from the cattle population.

The FSSA has acknowledged the findings and is reviewing the national eradication programme.

To regain disease-free status, Malta must now demonstrate that 99.8% of cattle farms have remained free from infection for three consecutive years.

What is Bovine TB?

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease that primarily affects cattle, causing progressive weight loss, respiratory illness and reduced productivity. Infected animals may eventually need to be culled, resulting in economic losses for farmers and restrictions on livestock movements and trade. Bovine tuberculosis primarily affects cattle and only rarely infects humans. Human infection is generally associated with prolonged close contact with infected animals or the consumption of unpasteurised milk. Malta’s ban on the sale of raw milk for direct consumption and routine meat inspection further reduce any public health risk.