Paratuberculosis, a chronic disease affecting ruminant livestock, is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). It has direct and indirect economic costs, impacts animal welfare and arouses public health concerns. In a survey of 48 countries we found paratuberculosis to be very common in livestock. In about half the countries more than 20% of herds and flocks were infected with MAP. Most countries had large ruminant populations (millions), several types of farmed ruminants, multiple husbandry systems and tens of thousands of individual farms, creating challenges for disease control. In addition, numerous species of free-living wildlife were infected. Paratuberculosis was notifiable in most countries, but formal control programs were present in only 22 countries. Generally, these were the more highly developed countries with advanced veterinary services. Of the countries without a formal control program for paratuberculosis, 76% were in South and Central America, Asia and Africa while 20% were in Europe. Control programs were justified most commonly on animal health grounds, but protecting market access and public health were other factors. Prevalence reduction was the major objective in most countries, but Norway and Sweden aimed to eradicate the disease, so surveillance and response were their major objectives. Government funding was involved in about two thirds of countries, but operations tended to be funded by farmers and their organizations and not by government alone. The majority of countries (60%) had voluntary control programs. Generally, programs were supported by incentives for joining, financial compensation and/or penalties for non-participation. Performance indicators, structure, leadership, practices and tools used in control programs are also presented. Securing funding for long-term control activities was a widespread problem. Control programs were reported to be successful in 16 (73%) of the 22 countries. Recommendations are made for future control programs, including a primary goal of establishing an international code for paratuberculosis, leading to universal acknowledgment of the principles and methods of control in relation to endemic and transboundary disease. An holistic approach across all ruminant livestock industries and long-term commitment is required for control of paratuberculosis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-019-1943-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiologic agent of paratuberculosis, a disease with considerable economic impact, principally on dairy cattle herds. Animals with paratuberculosis shed viable MAP especially in their milk, faeces and semen. MAP may have a role in the development of Crohn's disease in humans via the consumption of contaminated milk and milk products. The current methods of milk pasteurization are not sufficient to kill all MAP cells present in milk and MAP has been cultured from raw or pasteurized milk and isolated from cheese. The purpose of the present study was to review the different methods used for detection of MAP in milk and milk products. We analyze the current methods for direct or non direct identification of MAP and culture and molecular biology methods that can be applied to milk and milk products.

ABSTRACT:The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of kaolin feeding on health status, body weight gain (BWG), course of diarrhoeal infections caused by enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli (ETEC) and the level of mycobacterial contamination in weaned piglets. The testing was performed in two experiments involving 40 weaned piglets at the age of 28 days. In the infection-free experiment, piglets were fed a diet without (C0) or with 1% content of kaolin (K0) for 20 days. Subsequently, all of them were fed the same diet without kaolin supplementation for 39 days. Identical diets were fed during the infection experiment, and moreover, both groups (CI and KI) were orally infected with ETEC (O141:F18ac, STa+) on Day 1 of experiment. The short-term feeding of kaolin to weaned piglets had a significant positive effect on their BWG. During the period of feeding the kaolin-containing diets, BWG in C0 and K0 were 0.20 and 0.29 kg, respectively (P < 0.05), and in CI and KI 0.13 and 0.19 kg, respectively (P < 0.05). There was no evidence of side effects to their health, neither was there any change in biochemical and haematological profiles. In the infection experiment, a protective effect of kaolin on the course of ETEC infection was evident. Colonization and shedding of ETEC by piglets fed the kaolin diet were milder and had a shorter duration in comparison with control piglets. The culture examination of pure kaolin and kaolin containing diets for mycobacteria were negative. Potentially pathogenic mycobacteria occurring in the environment were isolated from faeces and tissues of pigs. According to these results, supplementation of diets with 1% kaolin to prevent diarrhoea in piglets and to support their growth in the critical post-weaning period could be recommended.

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"Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis" often causes cervical lymphadenitis in children; its prompt and accurate identification enables adequate therapy, tracing, and prevention. The aims of this study were to determine the causative agent of lymphadenitis using culture, PCR, and triplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) methods with DNA directly isolated from tissue, as well as to identify possible sources of infection from the environment. We confirmed the diagnoses by detecting M. avium subsp. hominissuis using qPCR with DNA directly isolated from lymph node biopsy specimens of two patients. In order to trace the source of infection from the environment, a method of DNA isolation from soil and other environmental samples, such as dust, cobwebs, and compost, was developed. The triplex qPCR examination revealed the presence of M. avium subsp. hominissuis in a high proportion of the environmental samples (42.8% in the first patient's house and 47.6% in the second patient's house). Both patients were also exposed to M. avium subsp. avium, which was present due to the breeding of infected domestic hens. The high infectious dose of M. avium subsp. hominissuis or the increased susceptibility of humans to M. avium subsp. hominissuis compared to M. avium subsp. avium could be the reason why the children were infected with M. avium subsp. hominissuis.