Detection of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis in Milk from Cclinically Affected Sheep and Goats

Milk and faecal samples from sheep and goats with clinical symptoms of paratuberculosis were examined for the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp.paratuberculosis by culture in M7H11 and Herrold’s, as well as in MGIT. The determination was based on two groups of clinically suspected animals in Northern Greece: group I consisted of 65 goats and group II consisted of 35 sheep, belonging to 8 goats’ flocks and 5 sheep flocks respectively. All animals had known paratuberculosis infection. In total, MAP was isolated from the faeces of 16 goats (24.6 %) and from the milk of 5 goats (7.7 %). However, MAP strains were detected from the faeces of 3 sheep (8.6 %) and from the milk of 2 sheep (5.7 %). Out of the 16 faecal-culture-positive goats, 10 (62.5 %) had normal stools and 6 (37.5 %) had intermittent and severe diarrhea. The 3 faecal-culture-positive sheep had softened, pasty stools. The faecal culture status was compared with milk culture results. In the group of goats with intermittent and severe diarrhea, 4 of 6 (66.7 %) were milk-culturepositive and 1 of 10 (10 %) goats with normal stools was milk culture positive. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). INTRODUCTION Paratuberculosis disease, or Johne’s disease, is a chronic granulomatus enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP).1,2. MAP infection is widespread in domestic livestock, including cattle, sheep, and goats. Rabbits, deer, and other animals have been identified as wildlife hosts of MAP.3 Paratuberculosis in animals is usually acquired at an early age from feces-contaminated environments and from milk, younger animals being more susceptible than adults. Successful control of the disease in a herd is dependent on minimizing the exposure of young animals to the organism.4 In small ruminants, the only consistent, though nonspecific, clinical sign of the disease is progressive weight loss. Diarrhea is not a constant feature and is often intermittent, although it can be severe in some goats in individual herds.5 The prevalence of the disease in goats and sheep in Greece is high, and infection is the cause of significant economic losses. The first reported case of paratuberculosis in sheep was diagnosed in 1967-1968 and in goats in 1968 in the Zaanen breed. Since then the number of infected herds and animals has grown rapidly and the disease is now widespread in small ruminants in Greece, it presents a serious problem, causing significant economic losses. Detection of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis in Milk from Cclinically Affected Sheep and Goats Zoi Dimareli-Malli, DVM, MSc, PhD Veterinary Research Institute of Thessaloniki, National Agriculture Research Foundation, Thermi 57001, P.B.O : 60272, Thessaloniki, Greece Tel:+302310365372 e-mail: [email protected]