The present invention relates to a method for determining the presence of
Mycobacterium bovis in a subject. The method comprises: (i) determining the level of one or more biomarkers in a sample from the subject; and (ii) comparing the level of said one or more biomarkers with the level of said one or more metabolites in a
control sample to determine whether
Mycobacterium bovis is present in the subject. The biomarkers are selected from: dihydro-
leukotriene B4, 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid,
sphingomyelin [SM(d18:2(4E,14Z) / 24:0)],
sphingomyelin [SM(d18:1 / 24:1(15Z))], 18:3
cholesteryl ester, an unknown compound 389.21933 m / z (under negative ionisation), an unknown compound 886.71063 m / z (under negative ionisation),
citric acid, MG(0:0 / 18:3(6Z,9Z,12Z) / 0:0), pyrocatechol, N-(docosanoyl)-heptadecasphing-4-enine-1-
phosphocholine and an unknown compound 359.22107 m / z (under negative ionisation).