Mycobacterium paratuberculosis: pain in the gut and challenge for science

Abstract

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis causes Johne?s disease in sheep, cattle, goats and other ruminants worldwide. It is a fatal, untreatable, chronic, granulomatous infection of the intestine. According to some researchers, the organism may be responsible for Crohn?s disease in man and, although not proven, this has led to a higher public profile for the disease. For this reason and because of animal welfare concerns and economic loss, animal health authorities in most developed countries aim to reduce the prevalence of infection.