Epidemiological Study of Paratuberculosis in Wild Rabbits in Scotland

Abstract

A survey of 22 farms confirmed the presence of paratuberculosis in wild rabbits in Scotland. Regional differences were apparent in the prevalence of the disease in rabbits, with a significantly higher incidence occurring in the Tayside region. Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between a previous history or current problem of paratuberculosis in cattle and the presence of paratuberculosis in rabbits on the farms. Molecular genetic typing techniques could not discriminate between selected rabbit and cattle isolates from the same or different farms, suggesting that the same strain may infect and cause disease in both species and that interspecies transmission may occur. The possibility of interspecies transmission and the involvement of wildlife in the epidemiology of paratuberculosis have important implications for the control of the disease.

Bioexclusion of diseases from dairy and beef farms: Risks of introducing infectious agents and risk reduction strategies

“…Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) also has a wide host range, though the threat of spread to cattle from other species remains poorly understood (Greig et al, 1999;Beard et al, 2001).…”

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) related with the Animal health risks of feeding animals with ready to use dairy products without further treatment

“…It is found most often among domestic and wild ruminants and has a global distribution. The disease has also been reported in horses, pigs, deer and alpaca, and recently in rabbits, stoat, fox and weasel (Beard P.M., et al (1999); Greig A., et al (1999)).…”

Mycobacterial Infections in Rabbits: From the Wild to the Laboratory

“…NTM species are ordinary inhabitants of a wide variety of hosts, and their role in human and animal diseases has been fully recognized (Biet et al, 2005). As mentioned earlier, the role of rabbits in the epidemiology of paratuberculosis has been shown by several studies in Scotland (Greig et al, 1999;Shaughnessy et al, 2013). Although it is not clear whether wild rabbits have clinical paratuberculosis, there is no doubt that they develop typical intestinal lesions and can shed Map in faeces that can contaminate pastures and water.…”