A survey on paratuberculosis in wildlife in Spain

摘要

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) has been isolated from a crescent number of animal species, including non-ruminant wildlife species, suggesting its host range may be wider than previously noticed. In Spain, there is only one study dealing with the presence of Map in free-ranging fallow deer (Marco and others 2002). A survey in different species of wildlife and peridomestic animals was conducted to clarify the importance of these animals in the epidemiology of paratuberculosis in Spain. Four sampling areas in properties with previously diagnosed paratuberculosis, located in the middle and the south of Spain, were chosen. Several wild animals from other locations were also included in the study. Animals were frozen immediately after catch and sent to the laboratory to be subjected to necropsy, or the necropsy was performed in the field and the frozen samples were submitted to the laboratory. Intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver and spleen were routinely cultured. Grown mycobacteria were identified by PCR and sequencing if necessary.