Progress Towards Control of a Mycobacterial Pathogen, <i>Mycobacterium aviumsubsp</i>. <i>paratuberculosis</i>, the Causative Agent of Johne’s Disease in Cattle and Humans

Abstract

Since the discovery that Mycobacterium aviumsubsp. paratuberculosis(Map) is the causative agent of Johne’s disease (JD) in cattle at the end of the nineteenth century, movement of livestock latently infected with Map has led to the spread of JD throughout the world. A new form of enteritis with clinical features of JD in cattle appeared in humans concurrent with the appearance of Map as a disease problem in livestock. The demonstration that Map is a zoonotic pathogen and the causative agent of the new form of enteritis in humans, however, wasn’t recognized until late in the twentieth century when methods were developed to detect the presence Map in tissues from patients with the new form of clinical enteritis. The objective of this short review is to provide a brief history explaining how Map has become a major disease problem in livestock and humans and then provide a review of the progress that has been made in treating patients with an enteritis caused by Map and the strategies underway to develop a vaccine to control infection in livestock.