Comparison of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in cattle, sheep and goats in the Khuzestan Province of Iran: Results of a preliminary survey

Abstract

Background Paratuberculosis or Johne's disease, the chronic infectious granulomatous enteritis of ruminants, is a worldwide infection, which is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The most common symptoms of this disease in cattle are loss of milk production, weight loss and diarrhoea, whereas in sheep and goats, the symptoms are emaciation, anorexia and severe disability. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the seroprevalence of MAP in cattle, sheep and goats in the southwest of Iran. Methods Blood samples were randomly collected from 530 cattle, 568 sheep and 368 goats in southwest of Iran. Sera were tested by a commercial ELISA kit (ID vet; ID Screen® Paratuberculosis Indirect) for detection of antibodies of MAP. Results Overall apparent and true seroprevalence rate of MAP was 6.00% (95% CI: 4.90%–7.30%) and 13.25% (95% CI: 11.55%– 14.95%). Apparent and true seroprevalence of MAP, respectively, was 4.34% (95% CI: 3.88%–6.46%) and 9.19% (95% CI: 6.98%–11.98%) in cattle, 6.87% (95% CI: 5.05%–9.27%) and 15.37% (95% CI: 12.60%–16.60%) in sheep and 7.07% (95% CI: 4.82%–10.18%) and 15.86% (95% CI: 12.41%–20.01%) in goats, respectively. As a result, there was no significant relationship between animal species and MAP infection. Moreover, multivariate logistic regression showed that the infection rate is not associated with age, gender and geographical location in cattle, sheep and goats (P > 0.05). Conclusion This study confirms that the seroprevalence of MAP is relatively considerable in the cattle, sheep and goats in the southwest of Iran, although in cattle, it is less than goats and sheep. Therefore, preventive and control measures should be considered by animal health authorities and meat and dairy processing units.

Paratuberculosis: The Hidden Killer of Small Ruminants

“…In Quebec (Canada) PTB was diagnosed in 29 out of 152 necropsied goats [ 52 ]; a prevalence of 4.3% has been reported in Latin American and Caribbean countries [ 59 ]. 17.1% in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia [ 56 ], 7.07% and 15.86% of apparent and true seroprevalence of MAP, respectively in the southwest of Iran [ 60 ].…”

“…In the Western and Eastern Cape provinces (South Africa), where the AGID assay was used to identify 52 infected farms, 5% of the sheep population was infected [ 47 ]. ELISA test was used in many studies and prevalence rates of 2.3%, 14%, 3.3%, 3.25% and 15.37% in Grenada, Germany, Backa and Srem regions (Serbia), Tunisia and Khuzestan Province of Iran respectively, were reported [ 45 , 60 , 61 , 69 , 70 ]. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the prevalence was 16% [ 59 ].…”

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: Is MAP the trigger?

“…In addition, it might present alive MAP or decay products in pasteurized milk and infant formula ( Ozana et al., 2022 ). Some studies confirmed that the prevalence of MAP is relatively considerable in cattle, sheep, and goats in different parts of Iran despite no data about MAP prevalence in Golestan Province ( Sadati et al., 2012 ; Anzabi and Khaki, 2017 ; Sadeghi et al., 2020 ; Pourmahdi Borujeni et al., 2021 ). In the study of Sadeghi et al , MAPs were detected in 39 and 4.9% of 544 pasteurized milk samples by nested PCR and the culture method, respectively ( Sadeghi et al., 2020 ).…”