Johne's Disease: Mycobacterium paratuberculosis Super-shedders

Detection and Contribution to Passive Shedding (False-positive Fecal Cultures)

Authors

  • R. H. Whitlock Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348
  • I. A. Gardner Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
  • B. L. Mangold Tetracore, Inc. 9901 Belward Campus Drive, Rockville, MD 20850
  • J. Smith College of Agriculture, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
  • R. W. Sweeney Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348
  • Y. Schukken Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Services, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
  • J. Van Kessel Environmental Microbial Safety Laboratory, Room 201 ·Bldg 173 BARC-East, 10300 Baltimore Ave Beltsville, MD 20705
  • E. Hovingh Department of Veterinary Science, College of Agriculture, 115 Henning Bldg. Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802
  • J. Karns Environmental Microbial Safety Laboratory, Room 201 ·Bldg 173 BARC-East, 10300 Baltimore Ave Beltsville, MD 20705
  • D. Wolfgang Department of Veterinary Science, College of Agriculture, 115 Henning Bldg. Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802
  • T. Fyock Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/aabppro20064769

Keywords:

John's disease, super-shedder, MAP, passive shedding, dairy cattle

Abstract

This report further documents the critical importance of identifying super-shedders, since they contribute billions of MAP CFU daily to the environment, serving to disseminate MAP to susceptible cattle. In many herds, this results in significant numbers of culture-positive fecal samples through passive shedding. The frequency of super-shedders among culture-positive cattle in infected herds is unknown. However, our preliminary investigations have shown that each of three current herds has at least one super-shedder cow, with five super-shedder cows having been identified among the 7.1% ( 41 of 575) of culture-positive cattle in the herds. Our preliminary estimates are that 10% of heavy shedders (or about 2 to 3% of all culture-positive cattle at a single time-point) may be super-shedders, excreting >10 billion CFU MAP per cow per day.

Cover image of the 39th Conference Proceedings: Three calves lying down in a pasture next to a white fence. Behind them, a rainbow spans over the distant hills. Yellow background.

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Published

2006-09-21

Issue

2006

Section

Research Summaries 4

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