Abstract
Objective. To determine prevalence of MAP in intestinal and nodal tissue from dogs and cats at necropsy at Kansas State University and to determine if an association existed between presence of MAP and gastrointestinal inflammation, clinical signs, or rural exposure. Procedures. Tissue samples were collected from the duodenum, ileum, and mesenteric and colic nodes of adult dogs (73) and cats (37) undergoing necropsy for various reasons. DNA was extracted and analyzed for insertion sequence 900 using nested PCR. Positive samples were confirmed with DNA sequencing. An online mapping system was used to determine if patients lived in an urban or rural environment based on the home address. Medical records were reviewed for clinical signs and histological findings at necropsy. Results. MAP was identified from 3/73 (4.1%) dogs and 3/37 (8.1%) cats. There was no documented association between presence of MAP and identification of histologic-confirmed gastrointestinal inflammation, gastrointestinal clinical signs, or exposure to a rural environment. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance. MAP-specific DNA can be identified within the intestinal and nodal tissue of dogs and cats that do not have pathological lesions or clinical signs consistent with gastrointestinal disease. The significance of this organism's presence without associated gastrointestinal pathology is unknown.
Highlights
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the bacterial etiologic agent of Johne’s disease, a severe chronic debilitating gastrointestinal disease of ruminants
This was a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of MAP in intestinal and nodal tissue from dogs and cats submitted for necropsy at the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory between September 2009 and April 2011
Seventy-three dogs and thirty-seven cats over two years of age were presented for necropsy between September 2009 and Tissue from which MAP
Summary
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the bacterial etiologic agent of Johne’s disease, a severe chronic debilitating gastrointestinal disease of ruminants. Infection from this bacterium is responsible for substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic loss in cattle in the United States [1]. Investigation of MAP’s potential contribution to gastrointestinal disease in dogs and cats is in its infancy. While both classic tuberculosis (including M tuberculosis and M bovis) and opportunistic mycobacteriosis (including M fortuitum) have been described extensively in dogs and cats, only one suspected clinical case of paratuberculosis has been reported in a dog [6]. Further investigation into the prevalence of MAP in the general population of dogs and the relationship of MAP and gastrointestinal disease in dogs is warranted
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
