Detection of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis in Milk from Cclinically Affected Sheep and Goats

Milk and faecal samples from sheep and goats with clinical symptoms of paratuberculosis were examined for the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp.paratuberculosis by culture in M7H11 and Herrold's, as well as in MGIT. The determination was based on two groups of clinically suspected animals in Northern Greece: group I consisted of 65 goats and group II consisted of 35 sheep, belonging to 8 goats' flocks and 5 sheep flocks respectively. All animals had known paratuberculosis infection. In total, MAP was isolated from the faeces of 16 goats (24.6 %) and from the milk of 5 goats (7.7 %). However, MAP strains were detected from the faeces of 3 sheep (8.6 %) and from the milk of 2 sheep (5.7 %). Out of the 16 faecal-culture-positive goats, 10 (62.5 %) had normal stools and 6 (37.5 %) had intermittent and severe diarrhea. The 3 faecal-culture-positive sheep had softened, pasty stools. The faecal culture status was compared with milk culture results. In the group of goats with intermittent and severe diarrhea, 4 of 6 (66.7 %) were milk-culture-positive and 1 of 10 (10 %) goats with normal stools was milk culture positive. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05).