Methods for diagnosing and treating a mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection

摘要

The present invention relates to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) as the etiological agent of IBD, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as well as Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease. As such, the present invention provides a method for diagnosing Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease by detecting the presence of MAP nucleic acid molecules as well as methods for inhibiting the proliferation of MAP and treating a MAP infection using anti-MAP agents. Pharmaceutical compositions containing anti-MAP agents and methods for determining the antibiotic susceptibility of MAP isolated from a subject are also provided.