Evaluation of combined high-efficiency DNA extraction and real-time PCR for detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in subclinically infected dairy cattle: comparison with faecal culture, milk real-time PCR and milk ELISA

Systematic assessment of the reliability of quantitative PCR assays targeting IS900 for the detection of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis presence in animal and environmental samples

Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the bacterium responsible for causing Johne's disease (JD), which is endemic to dairy cattle and also implicated in the etiology of Crohn's disease. The difficulty in diagnosing asymptomatic cows for JD makes this disease hard to control. Johne's disease is considered a priority under the One Health approach to prevent the spread of the causative agent to humans. Environmental screening is a strategic approach aimed at identifying dairy herds with animals infected with MAP. It serves as the initial step toward implementing more intensive actions to control the disease. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) technology is widely used for diagnosis. Given that genome sequencing is now much more accessible than ever before, it is possible to target regions of the MAP genome that allow for the greatest diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. The aim of this study was to identify among the published qPCR assays targeting IS900 the more cost-effective options to detect MAP and to validate them in the diagnostic context of JD. Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis IS900 is a prime target because it is a multicopy genetic element. A total of 136 publications have reported on the use of IS900 qPCR assays over the past 3 decades. Among these records, 29 used the SYBR Green chemistry, and 107 used TaqMan technology. Aside from the 9 reports using commercial assays, 72 TaqMan reports cited previously published work, leaving us with 27 TaqMan qPCR designs. Upon closer examination, 5 TaqMan designs contained mismatches in primer or probe sequences. Additionally, others exhibited high similarity to environmental microorganisms or non-MAP mycobacteria. We assessed the performance of 6 IS900 qPCR designs and their sensitivity when applied to clinical or environmental samples, which varied from 4 to 56 fold overall. Additionally, we provide recommendations for testing clinical and environmental samples, as certain strategies used previously should be avoided due to poor qPCR design (e.g., the presence of mismatches) or a lack of specificity.

Seroprevalence of infectious pathogens of zoonotic and veterinary importance in wild ruminants from Slovenia

Introduction

Wildlife represents an increasingly important source of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Surveillance in wildlife offers an insight on current epidemiological status of selected pathogens and help to prevent spillovers to humans and livestock.

Material and methods

Our study included 312 wild ruminants belonging to five species: Roe deer (n = 134), red deer (n = 113), Alpine chamois (n = 53), European mouflon (n = 10) and Alpine ibex (n = 2). Seven pathogens that may have profound effect on human/livestock health and economic viability of the farms were tested using serological methods.

Results

Antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Coxiella burnetii, Brucella spp., Chlamydophila abortus, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and Mycobacterium bovis were detected in 34.62% (108/312), 0.96% (3/312), 2.24% (7/312), 0, 0.96% (3/312), 0, 0.64% (2/312) of animals tested, respectively. Because of low prevalences, risk factors were assessed only for T. gondii. Sex (female>male) and species (roe deer>red deer, roe deer>Alpine chamois) were significantly associated with the T. gondii positive outcome, while age was not.

Discussion

Adult males had the lowest T. gondii prevalence which offers future research opportunities. The lower seroprevalence of most investigated pathogens suggests game meat, if properly cooked, as being relatively safe for human consumption. This is the first study investigating the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of selected pathogens in wild ruminants in Slovenia.

Inter-laboratory ring trial to compare four quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays employed for detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

Johne's disease is an infectious enteric disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) affecting ruminant species worldwide. In Project 1, an independent performance comparison ring trail was conducted between three different commercial MAP quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay services (B, C, and D) currently marketed in Great Britain by three separate laboratories against each other and against a fourth assay (A) not available commercially in Great Britain. A total of 205 individual ovine and bovine samples from five farms were analyzed to give 41 sets of pooled results (pool size five) from each laboratory according to their specific protocols. The numbers of positive pools for assays A-D were 18, 12, 11, and 1 (43.9%, 29.2%, 26.8%, and 2.4%), respectively. Assessment of interrater reliability produced a Fleiss' kappa coefficient of 0.15, indicating very poor overall agreement between the four laboratories. Laboratories A-D diagnosed 4, 3, 2, and 1 flocks at the farm level, respectively, as MAP positive. In Project 2, 38 pooled ovine samples from 10 flocks were analyzed to compare the performance of laboratories A and B. The numbers of positive results for laboratories A and B were 24 (63.1%) and 17 (44.7%), respectively (Cohen's kappa 0.54), indicating that laboratory A was more sensitive than B in line with results from Project 1. Variation between laboratories offering MAP qPCR assays is a significant concern, and further work is warranted to validate and standardize the performance of assays between laboratories for both ovine and bovine samples.IMPORTANCEOur study reports the findings of an inter-laboratory ring trial comparing the performance of four different quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay services for detecting Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in cattle and sheep. MAP is the causative agent of Johne's disease (also known as paratuberculosis), a significant production-limiting disease in livestock populations with a worldwide distribution. The content of this paper is significant and novel as it is the first to highlight the marked variation between the diagnostic sensitivity and reproducibility of the three principal commercial laboratories offering MAP qPCR diagnostic and screening services in Great Britain. The low sensitivity and high variability between the laboratories are of great concern and relevance to veterinary practitioners and livestock producers.

Modeling Paratuberculosis Transmission in a Small Dairy Herd Typical of Slovenia Suggests That Different Models Should Be Used to Study Disease Spread in Herds of Different Sizes

This study aimed to investigate the possible dynamics of paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in a typical Slovenian dairy herd of about 17 cows. Paratuberculosis is a worldwide endemic disease of cattle caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and is associated with significant economic losses. We developed a stochastic compartmental model with two pathways of disease progression, infections of adult cows and infections of young animals through horizontal and vertical transmission, and transmission through animal movements. The average proportions of subclinically and clinically infected cows were 4% and 0.47%, respectively. The prevalence within the herd, which included latently infected animals, averaged 7.13% and ranged from 0% to 70.59%. Under the given circumstances, the results showed a relatively high rate of spontaneous elimination (0.22 per herd per year) of the disease and a high rate of reinfection (0.18 per herd per year) facilitated by active animal trade. To our knowledge, this stochastic compartmental model is the first to be developed specifically to represent a small dairy herd and could apply to other countries with a similar structure of dairy farms. The results suggest that different models should be used to study MAP spread in herds of various sizes.

Detection of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) Microorganisms Using Antigenic MAP Cell Envelope Proteins

Cell envelope proteins from Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) that are antigenically distinct from closely related mycobacterial species are potentially useful for Johne's Disease (JD) diagnosis. We evaluated the potential of ELISAs, based on six antigenically distinct recombinant MAP cell envelope proteins (SdhA, FadE25_2, FadE3_2, Mkl, DesA2, and hypothetical protein MAP1233) as well as an extract of MAP total cell envelope proteins, to detect antibodies against MAP in the sera of infected cattle. The sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of an ELISA based on MAP total cell envelope proteins, when analyzing 153 bovine serum samples, was 75 and 96%, respectively. Analysis of the same samples, using a commercial serum ELISA resulted in a Se of 56% and Sp of 99%. Results of ELISA analysis using plates coated with recombinant cell envelope proteins ranged from a highest Se of 94% and a lowest Sp of 79% for Sdh A to a lowest Se of 67% and a highest Sp of 95% for hypothetical protein MAP1233. Using polyclonal antibodies to MAP total cell envelope proteins, immunohistochemical analysis of intestinal and lymph node tissues from JD-positive cattle detected MAP organisms whereas antibodies to recombinant proteins did not. Finally, polyclonal antibodies to MAP total cell envelope protein and to recombinant SdhA, FadE25_2, and DesA2 proteins immunomagnetically separated MAP microorganisms spiked in PBS. These results suggest that antigenically distinct MAP cell envelope proteins and antibodies to these proteins may have potential to detect MAP infection in dairy cattle.

Serological and Molecular Characterization of Mycobacterium avium Subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) from Sheep, Goats, Cattle and Camels in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Simple Summary

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of Johne’s disease, affecting small and large ruminants and causing chronic diarrhea and severe emaciation. MAP is prevalent in many countries, including Saudi Arabia. Serological and molecular characterization of MAP and determination of the prevalent strains are essential for the control strategies. The results obtained from 31 herds showed that the sheep type (S-type) was the most prevalent MAP type and the molecular characterization revealed different strain profiles distributed among the sheep, goat, cattle, and camel herds in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

The objectives of the present study were to characterize Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection using serological and molecular tools and investigate the distribution and molecular characterization of MAP strains (cattle (C) and sheep (S) types) in sheep, goat, cattle, and camel herds in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Serum and fecal samples were collected from all animals aged >2 years old in 31 herds (sheep = 8, goats = 6, cattle = 8 and camels = 9) from January to December 2019. Serum samples were tested by ELISA for the detection of MAP antibodies. Fecal samples were tested by PCR for the detection of MAP IS900 gene and the identification of MAP strains. MAP antibodies were detected in 19 (61.3%) herds. At the animal level, antibodies against MAP were detected in 43 (19.5%) sheep, 21 (17.1%) goats, 13 (19.7%) cattle and 22 (9.1%) camels. The IS900 gene of MAP was detected in 23 (74.2%) herds and was directly amplified from fecal samples of 59 (26.8%) sheep, 34 (27.6%) goats, 20 (30.3%) cattle and 36 (15.0%) camels. The S-type was the most prevalent MAP type identified in 15 herds, and all were identified as type-I, while the C-type was identified in only 8 herds. The IS900 sequences revealed genetic differences among the MAP isolates recovered from sheep, goats, cattle and camels. Results from the present study show that MAP was prevalent and confirm the distribution of different MAP strains in sheep, goat, cattle and camel herds in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

Identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in Sheep Milk, a Zoonotic Problem

Johne’s disease (JD) is a life-threatening gastrointestinal disease affecting ruminants, which causes crucial economical losses globally. This ailment is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), a fastidious intracellular pathogen that belongs to the Mycobacteriaceae family. This acid-fast, hard-to-detect bacterium can resist milk pasteurization and be conveyed to dairy product consumers. Many studies have emphasized the zoonotic nature of MAP, suggesting an association between MAP and some gastroenteric conditions such as Crohn’s disease in humans. This underlines the importance of utilizing efficient pasteurization alongside a state-of-the-art diagnostic system in order to minimize the possible ways this pathogen can be conveyed to humans. Until now, no confirmatory MAP screening technique has been developed that can reveal the stages of JD in infected animals. This is partially due to the lack of an efficient gold-standard reference method that can properly evaluate the performance of diagnostic assays. Therefore, the following research aimed to compare the merits of qPCR and ELISA assessments of milk for the detection of MAP in a total of 201 Sardinian unpasteurized sheep milk samples including 73 bulk tank milk (BTM) and 128 individual samples from a MAP-infected flock (MIF) applying various reference models. Accordingly, milk qPCR and ELISA assessments, together and individually, were used as reference models in the herd-level study, while serum ELISA and fecal PCR were similarly (together and in isolation) considered as the gold standards in the individual-level diagnosis. This study showed that the type of gold-standard test affects the sensitivity and specificity of milk qPCR and ELISA significantly. At the individual level in the MAP-infected flock, serum ELISA in isolation and together with fecal PCR were recognized as the best references; however, the best correlation was seen between milk and serum ELISA (p < 0.0001). Regarding the detection of MAP in BTM, qPCR IS900 was recognized as the most sensitive and specific diagnostic test (p < 0.0001) for monitoring the MAP shedders and animals with clinically developed symptoms within herds, under the condition that both milk qPCR and milk ELISA tests formed a binary reference model. The BTM analyses (qPCR and ELISA) revealed that MAP positivity has a seasonal pattern. This hypothesis was proven through a longitudinal study on 14 sheep herds.

Australian Veterinarians' Perceptions Regarding the Zoonotic Potential of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis

Public concerns over exposure to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) or MAP components via foods of animal origin could have negative trade consequences, despite the absence of conclusive scientific evidence of a causal association between Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and Crohn’s disease (CD). This study was conducted among Australian veterinarians to understand (a) their perceptions regarding the role of MAP in the causation of CD (an ordinal outcome), and (b) their consideration of the adoption of the precautionary principle against Johne’s disease (JD; a binary outcome). Ordinal and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association of explanatory variables with the above outcomes, respectively. Almost one-third of the respondents (32.2%) considered that MAP was likely to be involved in the causation of CD whereas more than two-thirds (69.8%) agreed with the adoption of the precautionary principle against JD. Veterinarians who were concerned about exposure to and/or getting infected with MAP were more likely to consider MAP as a causative agent of CD (odds ratio: 7.63; 95% CI: 1.55, 37.63) and favor the adoption of the precautionary principle against JD (odds ratio: 6.20; 95% CI: 1.90, 20.25). Those perceiving MAP as a causative agent of CD were also more likely to favor the adoption of the precautionary principle against JD (odds ratio: 13.2; 95% CI: 1.26, 138.90). The results suggest that Australian veterinarians, particularly those who consider MAP as a causative agent of CD are concerned about exposure to MAP and favor the adoption of the precautionary principle against JD. These findings can be useful for animal health authorities for designing JD control programs and policies.

A pilot study using environmental screening to determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Irish cattle herds

BACKGROUND

Dairy and beef cattle can be reservoirs of many pathogens, including Salmonella and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), the causative agent of Johne's disease (JD). Farm environments may provide potential entry points for the transmission of infectious agents into the food chain. Antibiotics are used to treat a wide variety of infections on farms, and administration of antimicrobial agents to cattle is considered to be a driving factor for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Control of JD and AMR are priority for animal health initiatives in Ireland. A national JD pilot programme was introduced by Animal Health Ireland in 2014, while the national action plan launched by Department of Health and Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine introduced in 2017 aims to improve the surveillance of AMR. The current investigation was undertaken as a pilot study to determine the proportion of herds positive for MAP, Salmonella species (Salmonella spp), commensal Escherichia coli (E. coli), Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) AmpC β-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing E. coli from 157 environmental faecal samples in Irish farms.

RESULTS

MAP was detected in 10.2% of samples collected; on culture in 4 (4.9%) of the dairy herds and from 1 (1.3%) of the beef/suckler herds, and by PCR in 10 (12.3%) and 6 (7.9%) of these herds respectively. All culture positive herds were also positive by PCR. An additional 11 herds were positive by PCR only. Salmonella was not detected, while commensal E. coli were isolated from 70.7% of the samples (111/157) with 101 of these isolates shown to be fully susceptible to all antimicrobials tested. Of the 27 presumptive ESBL AmpC β-lactamase producing E. coli detected, one isolate was resistant to ten antimicrobials, nine isolates were resistant to nine antimicrobials, and four isolates were resistant to eight antimicrobials. Carbapenemase-producing E. coli were not isolated.

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlight the importance of monitoring farm environments for Johne's disease. This disease is a growing concern for dairy and beef producers in Ireland, and sampling the farm environment may offer a useful means to rapidly screen for the presence of MAP. Non-pathogenic common enteric commensal and multiple-drug-resistant E. coli may contribute to AMR acting as a reservoir and transferring resistance to other species/pathogens in the environment.

Implications of Cattle Trade for the Spread and Control of Infectious Diseases in Slovenia

The objectives of this study were to gain insight into the structure of the cattle trade network in Slovenia and to evaluate the potential for infectious disease spread through movements. The study considered cattle movements between different types of premises that occurred between August 1, 2011 and July 31, 2016 with the exclusion of the movements to the end nodes (e.g., slaughterhouses). In the first part, we performed a static network analysis on monthly and yearly snapshots of the network. These time scales reflect our interest in slowly spreading pathogens; namely Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), which causes paratuberculosis, a worldwide economically important disease. The results showed consistency in the network measures over time; nevertheless, it was evident that year to year contacts between premises were changing. The importance of individual premises for the network connectedness was highly heterogeneous and the most influential premises in the network were collection centers, mountain pastures, and pastures. Compared to random node removal, targeted removal informed by ranking based on local network measures from previous years was substantially more effective in network disassociation. Inclusion of the latest movement data improved the results. In the second part, we simulated disease spread using a Susceptible-Infectious (SI) model on the temporal network. The SI model was based on the empirically estimated true prevalence of paratuberculosis in Slovenia and four scenarios for probabilities of transmission. Different probabilities were realized by the generation of new networks with the corresponding proportion of contacts which were randomly selected from the original network. These diluted networks served as substrates for simulation of MAP spread. The probability of transmission had a significant influence on the velocity of disease spread through the network. The peaks in daily incidence rates of infected herds were observed at the end of the grazing period. Our results suggest that network analysis may provide support in the optimization of paratuberculosis surveillance and intervention in Slovenia. The approach of simulating disease spread on a diluted network may also be used to model other transmission pathways between herds.

Determining an optimal pool size for testing beef herds for Johne's disease in Australia

Bovine Johne's disease (JD) is a chronic debilitating disease affecting cattle breeds worldwide. Pooled faecal samples are routinely tested by culture to detect Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Mptb) infection. More recently, a direct high throughput molecular test has been introduced in Australia for the detection of Mptb in faeces to circumvent the long culture times, however, the optimal pool size for beef cattle faeces is not known. This study aimed to determine the optimal pool size to achieve the highest test sensitivity and specificity for beef cattle. Individual archived faecal samples with low, medium and high quantities of Mptb (n = 30) were pooled with faecal samples from confirmed JD negative animals to create pool sizes of 5, 10, 15 and 20, to assess the diagnostic sensitivity relative to individual faecal qPCR. Samples from JD-free cattle (n = 10) were similarly evaluated for diagnostic specificity. Overall, 160 pools were created, with Mptb DNA extracted using magnetic bead isolation method prior to Mptb-specific IS900 quantitative PCR (qPCR). The pool size of 10 yielded the highest sensitivity 73% (95% CI: 54-88%), regardless of the quantity of Mptb DNA present in the faeces. There was no significant differences between the four different pool sizes for positive pool detection, however, there was statistical significance between low, medium and high quantities of Mptb. Diagnostic specificity was determined to be 100%. The increase in pool size greater than 10 increased the chances of PCR inhibition, which was successfully relieved with the process of DNA dilution. The results of this study demonstrate that the pool size of 10 performed optimally in the direct faecal qPCR. The results from this study can be applied in future simulation modelling studies to provide suggestions on the cost-effective testing for JD in beef cattle.

Prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in dairy herds in Northern Antioquia (Colombia) and associated risk factors using environmental sampling

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) herd-level prevalence using a quantitative real-time PCR method (qPCR), performed on environmental samples. Secondly, the study aimed to explore herd-level risk factors associated with the presence of MAP in dairy herds with in-paddock milking facilities of the Northern region of the Province of Antioquia (Colombia). Study herds (n = 292) located in 61 different districts from six municipalities were randomly selected amongst 7794 dairies registered in the foot-and-mouth disease vaccination records from 2015. The sampling strategy considered a proportional allocation, both at municipality and district level. Participant herds were visited once between June and October 2016 to collect one composite environmental sample and to complete a risk assessment questionnaire. Each composite environmental sample contained material from six different sites of concentration of adult cattle and/or high traffic areas (e.g. areas surrounding waterers and feeders, areas surrounding the current mobile milking-unit places). Identification of MAP was achieved using a duplex qPCR (Bactotype MAP PCR Kit^®, Qiagen). A herd was considered as MAP infected if the environmental sample was positive in the qPCR. Information about the general characteristics of the herd, management practices, and knowledge about the disease was collected using the risk-assessment questionnaire. The information on risk factors was analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model. The apparent herd-level prevalence was 4.1% (12/292; 95% CI: 1.8-6.4). Herds with a history of mixed farming of cattle with other ruminants had higher odds of being MAP infected than herds without (OR = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.2-13.2). Our study demonstrates the MAP prevalence in dairy herds from Antioquia, Colombia and the possible relationship between MAP environmental positivity with the history of mixed farming of cattle with other susceptible ruminants.

Modeling of alternative testing strategies to demonstrate freedom from Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis infection in test-negative dairy herds in the Republic of Ireland

In light of the various adverse effects of Johne's disease on animal productivity and the debate on the role of its causative organism, Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis, in the etiology of Crohn's disease, major dairy-producing countries around the world have implemented national control programs aimed at reducing the prevalence of this infection in cattle. A pilot control program was initiated in Ireland in 2013, with a key objective to provide farmers with test-negative dairy herds with tools and knowledge to increase their confidence of freedom over time. The aim of this study was to estimate the confidence of freedom obtained in test-negative Irish dairy herds over time with various sampling scenarios and to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alternative scenarios for achieving an acceptable level of confidence of freedom in herds with no evidence of infection. A stochastic model was developed to simulate repeated annual testing of individual animals using ELISA and confirmatory assays over a period of 20 yr. Two scenarios modeled the current herd-screening options, whereas 14 alternative scenarios explored the effect of varying parameters from the current testing strategies, such as the frequency of testing, the eligibility criteria for selecting animals, the type of assay, the probability of introduction, and the assay sensitivity. Results showed that the current testing strategy with milk twice a year or serum once a year in all animals over 2 yr old provided the highest annual herd sensitivity, with a median value of 55%. Although the median confidence of freedom increased over time for all scenarios, the time required to reach 90 and 95% confidence of freedom was highly variable between scenarios. Under the testing scenario where serum tests were used once a year, the confidence of freedom reached 90% after 4 yr and 95% after 7 yr of testing. Some of the alternative scenarios achieved an acceptable level of confidence of freedom in a reasonable timeframe and at lesser cost than the current testing strategies. The results of this work are used to provide recommendations for the next phases of the program.

Risk factors associated with fecal shedding of Listeria monocytogenes by dairy cows and calves

BACKGROUND

Listeria monocytogenes (LM) is an important foodborne pathogen affecting animals and humans. Listeriosis outbreaks in humans caused by consumption of unpasteurized dairy products are of serious concern.

OBJECTIVE

To determine risk factors associated with fecal shedding of LM in family dairy farms.

ANIMALS

Fecal samples were collected from cows and calves on 20 family dairy farms in 2-week intervals for a period of 1 year.

METHODS

Longitudinal study. LM was detected using qPCR. Univariate mixed effect model and multivariate analyses were performed to associate risk factors (dietary change, breed, mastitis, other diseases, antibiotic treatment, other treatments, heat index, and meteorological season) with fecal shedding of LM.

RESULTS

LM was isolated from all farms on at least 1 sampling day. The average yearly prevalence was 18.2% (98/540) and 8.4% (43/511) in cows and calves, respectively. Heat index (P = .05) and meteorological season (P = .04) affected fecal shedding of LM on a farm level. Meteorological season only influenced fecal shedding of LM in cows (P = .04), whereas heat index (P = .01) influenced fecal shedding of LM in calves. Spring season was identified as the major risk factor associated fecal shedding of LM on a farm level (P = .01) and in cows (P = .01). Dietary changes were associated with lower odds for fecal shedding of LM in calves (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Fecal shedding of LM is associated with environmental temperatures and the meteorological season. Farmers and veterinarians should use this information when implementing strategies to reduce risks for LM dissemination in animals and in the community.

Evaluation of different diagnostic methods for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in boot swabs and liquid manure samples

Background

Environmental sampling based on boot swabs and/or liquid manure samples is an upcoming strategy for the identification of paratuberculosis (paraTB) positive herds, but only limited data are available regarding the diagnostic performance of molecular detection methods (qPCR) versus faecal culture (FC) for this purpose. In the present study, the test characteristics of two different qPCR protocols (A and B) and a standardized FC protocol, for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in boot swabs and liquid manure samples were evaluated.

Results

In 19 paraTB unsuspicious and 58 paraTB positive herds boot swabs and liquid manure were sampled simultaneously and analyzed in three different diagnostic laboratories. Using boot swabs and liquid manure, a substantial to excellent accordance was found between both qPCRs, for boot swabs also with culture, while for liquid manure the detection rate of culture was decreased after prolonged storage at −20 °C. The quantitative results of both qPCR methods correlated well for the same sample and also for boot swabs and liquid manure from the same herd. When cut-off threshold cycle (C_T-)-values were applied as recommended by the manufacturers, herd level specificity (Sp) of qPCR B was below 100% for boot swabs and for both qPCRs for liquid manure. A decreased herd level sensitivity was encountered after adjustment of Sp to 100% and re-calculation of the cut-off C_T-values.

Conclusions

qPCR is equally suitable as bacterial culture for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in boot swabs and liquid manure samples. Both matrices represent easily accessible composite environmental samples which can be tested with reliable results. The data encourage qPCR testing of composite environmental samples for paraTB herd diagnosis.

Comparison among the Quantification of Bacterial Pathogens by qPCR, dPCR, and Cultural Methods

The demand for rapid methods for the quantification of pathogens is increasing. Among these methods, those based on nucleic acids amplification (quantitative PCRs) are the most widespread worldwide. Together with the qPCR, a new approach named digital PCR (dPCR), has rapidly gained importance. The aim of our study was to compare the results obtained using two different dPCR systems and one qPCR in the quantification of three different bacterial pathogens: Listeria monocytogenes, Francisella tularensis, and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. For this purpose, three pre-existing qPCRs were used, while the same primers and probes, as well as PCR conditions, were transferred to two different dPCR systems: the QX200 (Bio-Rad) and the Quant Studio 3D (Applied Biosystems). The limits of detection and limits of quantification for all pathogens, and all PCR approaches applied, were determined using genomic pure DNAs. The quantification of unknown decimal suspensions of the three bacteria obtained by the three different PCR approaches was compared through the Linear Regression and Bland and Altman analyses. Our results suggest that, both dPCRs are able to quantify the same amount of bacteria, while the comparison among dPCRs and qPCRs, showed both over and under-estimation of the bacteria present in the unknown suspensions. Our results showed qPCR over-estimated the amount of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and F. tularensis cells. On the contrary, qPCR, compared to QX200 dPCR, under-estimated the amount of L. monocytogenes cells. However, the maximum difference among PCRs approaches was <0.5 Log₁₀, while cultural methods underestimated the number of bacteria by one to two Log₁₀ for Francisella tularensis and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. On the other hand, cultural and PCRs methods quantified the same amount of bacteria for L. monocytogenes, suggesting for this last pathogen, PCRs approaches can be considered as a valid alternative to the cultural ones.

New Approaches on Quantification of Campylobacter jejuni in Poultry Samples: The Use of Digital PCR and Real-time PCR against the ISO Standard Plate Count Method

Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported bacterial food-borne illness in the European Union and contaminated broiler meat is considered the most important source of infection in humans. The aim of the present study was to evaluate real-time PCR (qPCR) and digital PCR (dPCR) for quantification of Campylobacter jejuni in 75 broiler neck-skin samples collected from a poultry slaughterhouse, and to compare them with the ISO 10272-2 standard plate count method. For qPCR standard curve, C. jejuni-negative neck-skin samples were spiked with C. jejuni suspension with a known number of bacterial cells. The observed CFU/g values by qPCR correlated greatly with the expected values and qPCR showed good performance with the reliable limit of detection (rLOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of three and 31 target copies per reaction, respectively. However, both rLOD (1219 CFU/g) and LOQ (12,523 CFU/g) were beyond the EFSA-proposed critical limit of 500-1,000 CFU/g of neck skin. Although C. jejuni cell counts were ≤1,000 CFU/g in only 7/75 samples by plate counting, they were ≤LOQ in 60/75 and ≤rLOD in 26/75 (≤1,000 CFU/g in 24/75) samples by qPCR. A strong and statistically significant correlation was observed between qPCR and dPCR. Both PCR-based methods correlated significantly with the plate count method; however, the correlation was moderate. Using the Bland-Altman analysis, an average agreement was noted between all three methods, although with a large standard deviation. A significant bias toward overestimation in dPCR was observed, probably due to the relatively high number of false positive calls. The linear dynamic range was comparable in both PCR-based methods; however, qPCR proved to be more suitable for routine use. In the future, the establishment of a reliable molecular quantification of C. jejuni in poultry samples showing a wide range of contamination levels down to the proposed critical limit is needed to enable time- and cost-effective surveillance throughout all stages in the food production chain. As both rLOD and LOQ were beyond this limit, a modification of the procedure is suggested to include less sample dilution prior to DNA extraction to enable PCR-based quantification of C. jejuni at the proposed microbiological criteria.

An intra-laboratory cultural and real-time PCR method comparison and evaluation for the detection of subclinical paratuberculosis in dairy herds

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is a vigorous microorganism which causes incurable chronic enteritis, Johne's disease (JD) in cattle. A target of control programmes for JD is to accurately detect MAP-infected cattle early to reduce disease transmission. The present study evaluated the efficacy of two different cultural procedures and a TaqMan real-time PCR assay for detection of subclinical paratuberculosis in dairy herds. Therefore, sixty-one faecal samples were collected from two Dutch dairy herds (n = 40 and n = 21, respectively) which were known to be MAP-ELISA positive. All individual samples were assessed using two different cultural protocols in two different laboratories. The first cultural protocol (first laboratory) included a decontamination step with 0.75% hexadecylpyridinium chloride (HPC) followed by inoculation on Herrold's egg yolk media (HEYM). The second protocol (second laboratory) comprised of a decontamination step using 4% NaOH and malachite green-oxalic acid followed by inoculation on two media, HEYM and in parallel on modified Löwenstein-Jensen media (mLJ). For the TaqMan real-time PCR assay, all faecal samples were tested in two different laboratories using TaqMan® MAP (Johne's) reagents (Life Technologies). The cultural procedures revealed positive reactions in 1.64% of the samples for cultivation protocol 1 and 6.56 and 8.20% of the samples for cultivation protocol 2, respectively. The results of the TaqMan real-time PCR performed in two different laboratories yielded 13.11 and 19.76% positive reaction. The kappa test showed proportional agreement 0.54 between the mLJ media (second laboratory) and TaqMan® real-time PCR method (second laboratory). In conclusion, the TaqMan real-time PCR could be a strongly useful and efficient assay for the detection of subclinical paratuberculosis in dairy cattle leading to an improvement in the efficiency of MAP control strategies.

Short communication: Investigation into Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in pasteurized milk in Italy

This study investigated the presence of viable Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in pasteurized milk produced by Italian industrial dairy plants to verify the prediction of a previously performed risk assessment. The study analyzed 160 one-liter bottles of pasteurized milk from 2 dairy plants located in 2 different regions. Traditional cultural protocols were applied to 500mL of pasteurized milk for each sample. The investigation focused also on the pasteurization parameters and data on the microbiological characteristics of raw milk (total bacterial count) and pasteurized milk (Enterobacteriaceae and Listeria monocytogenes). No sample was positive for MAP, the pasteurization parameters complied with European Union legislation, and the microbiological analysis of raw and pasteurized milk showed good microbiological quality. The results show that a 7-log (or >7) reduction could be a plausible value for commercial pasteurization. The combination of hygiene practices at farm level and commercial pasteurization yield very low or absent levels of MAP contamination in pasteurized milk, suggesting that pasteurized milk is not a significant source of human exposure to MAP in the dairies investigated.

Estimation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis load in raw bulk tank milk in Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy) by qPCR

Consumption of milk and dairy products is considered one of the main routes of human exposure to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Quantitative data on MAP load in raw cows' milk are essential starting point for exposure assessment. Our study provides this information on a regional scale, estimating the load of MAP in bulk tank milk (BTM) produced in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy). The survey was carried out on 2934 BTM samples (88.6% of the farms herein present) using two different target sequences for qPCR (f57 and IS900). Data about the performances of both qPCRs are also reported, highlighting the superior sensitivity of IS900-qPCR. Seven hundred and eighty-nine samples tested MAP-positive (apparent prevalence 26.9%) by IS900 qPCR. However, only 90 of these samples were quantifiable by qPCR. The quantifiable samples contained a median load of 32.4 MAP cells mL(-1) (and maximum load of 1424 MAP cells mL(-1) ). This study has shown that a small proportion (3.1%) of BTM samples from Emilia-Romagna region contained MAP in excess of the limit of detection (1.5 × 10(1) MAP cells mL(-1) ), indicating low potential exposure for consumers if the milk subsequently undergoes pasteurization or if it is destined to typical hard cheese production.

Short communication: Relationship between the level of bovine leukemia virus antibody and provirus in blood and milk of cows from a naturally infected herd

We explored the relationship between the level of bovine leukemia virus antibodies and provirus load during natural infection. For that purpose, a set of 50 blood and milk paired samples were analyzed for the presence of bovine leukemia virus provirus and antibodies. Additionally, provirus load and antibody titers were measured and the relationship between these variables was investigated. Bovine leukemia provirus was detected in 59% of milk samples and a negative correlation was observed between the level of milk provirus load and milk antibody titers. By the consumption of raw milk, calves might be exposed to bovine leukemia virus favoring the perinatal transmission of this disease.

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis detection in cow's milk in Argentina by immunomagnetic separation-PCR

The aim of this study was to standardize a diagnosis procedure to detect Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) DNA in raw cow milk samples under field conditions. A procedure that combines both immunomagnetic separation and IS900-PCR detection (IMS-IS1 PCR) was employed on milk samples from 265 lactating Holstein cows from Map infected and uninfected herds in Argentina. IMS-IS1 PCR results were analyzed and compared with those obtained from milk and fecal culture and serum ELISA. The extent of agreement between both tests was determined by the Kappa test. IMS-IS1 PCR showed a detection limit of 10¹ CFU of Map/mL of milk, when 50:50 mix of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were used to coat magnetic beads. All of the 118 samples from the Map uninfected herds were negative for the set of the tests. In Map infected herds, 80 out of 147 cows tested positive by milk IMS-IS1 PCR (55%), of which 2 (1.4%) were also positive by milk culture, 15 (10%) by fecal culture, and 20 (14%) by serum ELISA. Kappa statistics (95% CI) showed a slight agreement between the different tests (<0.20), and the proportions of agreement were ≤0.55. The IMS-IS1 PCR method detected Map in milk of the cows that were not positive in other techniques. This is the first report dealing with the application of IMS-IS1 PCR in the detection of Map in raw milk samples under field conditions in Argentina.

Development of a novel detection system for microbes from bovine diarrhea by real-time PCR

Diarrhea in cattle is one of the most economically costly disorders, decreasing milk production and weight gain. In the present study, we established a novel simultaneous detection system using TaqMan real-time PCR designed as a system for detection of microbes from bovine diarrhea using real-time PCR (referred to as Dembo-PCR). Dembo-PCR simultaneously detects a total of 19 diarrhea-causing pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa. Specific primer-probe sets were newly designed for 7 pathogens and were synthesized on the basis of previous reports for 12 pathogens. Assays were optimized to react under the same reaction conditions. The PCR efficiency and correlation coefficient (R(2)) of standard curves for each assay were more than 80% and 0.9766, respectively. Furthermore, the sensitivity of Dembo-PCR in fecal sample analysis was measured with feces spiked with target pathogens or synthesized DNA that included specific nucleotide target regions. The resulting limits of detection (LOD) for virus-spiked samples, bacteria and DNA fragments were 0.16-1.6 TCID50 (PFU/reaction), 1.3-13 CFU/reaction and 10-100 copies/reaction, respectively. All reactions showed high sensitivity in pathogen detection. A total of 8 fecal samples, collected from 6 diarrheic cattle, 1 diarrheic calf and 1 healthy cow, were tested using Dembo-PCR to validate the assay's clinical performance. The results revealed that bovine coronavirus had infected all diarrheic adult cattle and that bovine torovirus had infected the diarrheic calf. These results suggest that Dembo-PCR may be a powerful tool for diagnosing infectious agents in cattle diarrhea.

Susceptibility to and diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in dairy calves: A review

The primary objectives of paratuberculosis control programs are reducing exposure of calves to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), reducing herd infection pressure and regular testing of cattle >36 months of age. Although control programs based on these principles have reduced prevalence of MAP infection in dairy herds, they have generally not eliminated the infection. Recent infection trial(s) have yielded new knowledge regarding diagnostic testing and age- and dose-dependent susceptibility to MAP infection. Calves up to 1 year of age are still susceptible to MAP infection; therefore, control programs should refrain from referring to specific ages with respect to susceptibility and prevention of new infections. Notwithstanding, lesions were more severe when calves were inoculated at 2 weeks versus 1 year of age. Furthermore, a high inoculation dose resulted in more pronounced lesions than a low inoculation dose, especially in young calves. Consequently, keeping infection pressure low should decrease the incidence of new MAP infections and severity of JD in cattle that do acquire the infection. It was also evident that early diagnosis of MAP infection was possible and could improve efficacy of control programs. Although its use will still need to be validated in the field, a combination of antibody ELISA and fecal culture in young stock, in addition to testing cattle >36 months of age when screening a herd for paratuberculosis, was expected to improve detection of dairy cattle infected with MAP. Although calves were inoculated using a standardized method in a controlled environment, there were substantial differences among calves with regards to immune response, shedding and pathology. Therefore, we inferred there were genetic differences in susceptibility. Important insights were derived from experimental infection trials. Therefore, it was expected that these could improve paratuberculosis control programs by reducing severity and incidence of JD by lowering infection pressure on-farm, and reducing exposure of young calves and older cattle. Furthermore, an earlier diagnosis could be achieved by combining ELISA and fecal shedding in young stock, in addition to testing cattle >36 months of age.

Within-herd prevalence thresholds for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis-positive dairy herds using boot swabs and liquid manure samples

The control of Johne's disease requires the identification of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP)-positive herds. Boot swabs and liquid manure samples have been suggested as an easy-to-use alternative to sampling individual animals in order to diagnose subclinical Johne's disease at the herd level, but there is a need to evaluate performance of this approach in the field. Using a logistic regression model, this study aimed to calculate the threshold level of the apparent within-herd prevalence as determined by individual faecal culture, thus allowing the detection of whether a herd is MAP positive. A total of 77 boot swabs and 75 liquid manure samples were taken from 19 certified negative and 58 positive dairy herds. Faecal culture, three different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and the combination of faecal culture with PCR were applied in order to detect MAP. For 50% probability of detection, a within-herd prevalence threshold of 1·5% was calculated for testing both matrices simultaneously by faecal culture and PCR, with the threshold increased to 4·0% for 90% probability of detection. The results encourage the use of boot swabs or liquid manure samples, or a combination both, for identifying MAP-positive herds and, to a certain extent, for monitoring certified Johne's disease-negative cattle herds.

Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in environmental samples by faecal culture and real-time PCR in relation to apparent within-herd prevalence as determined by individual faecal culture

SUMMARY Environmental samples are a cost-saving and easy-to-use approach to diagnose paratuberculosis at the herd level. Detailed knowledge concerning its uncertainties in herds with a low prevalence of Mycobacterium avium spp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is required to design sampling strategies in control programmes. This study aimed to calculate a threshold level of the apparent within-herd prevalence (WHPapp) as determined by individual mycobacterial cultivation (faecal culture; FC) of all cows thus allowing the detection of a herd as MAP-positive at a certain probability level (P d). Out of 200 environmental samples taken twice from five predefined locations in a barn, 25 were positive by FC and 60 were positive by a quantitative real-time PCR method (qPCR). A logistic regression model was used to calculate the WHPapp threshold of detection. For 50% P d, a WHPapp threshold of 2.9% was calculated for the combination of three samples (milking area, main cow alleyways, holding pen) tested simultaneously both by FC and qPCR. The threshold increased to 6.2% for 90% P d. Repeated environmental sampling did not reduce the WHPapp threshold. Depending on the particular needs for prevalence estimation or in control programmes (single or repeated sampling) the provided WHPapp thresholds at different P d will enable decisions to be made about various sampling strategies.

Comparison of fecal culture and F57 real-time polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in Swiss cattle herds with a history of paratuberculosis

BACKGROUND

Bovine paratuberculosis is an incurable chronic granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). The prevalence of MAP in the Swiss cattle population is hard to estimate, since only a few cases of clinical paratuberculosis are reported to the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office each year.Fecal samples from 1,339 cattle (855 animals from 12 dairy herds, 484 animals from 11 suckling cow herds, all herds with a history of sporadic paratuberculosis) were investigated by culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for shedding of MAP.

RESULTS

By culture, MAP was detected in 62 of 445 fecal pools (13.9%), whereas PCR detected MAP in 9 of 445 pools (2.0%). All 186 samples of the 62 culture-positive pools were reanalyzed individually. By culture, MAP was grown from 59 individual samples (31.7%), whereas PCR detected MAP in 12 individual samples (6.5%), all of which came from animals showing symptoms of paratuberculosis during the study. Overall, MAP was detected in 10 out of 12 dairy herds (83.3%) and in 8 out of 11 suckling cow herds (72.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a serious clinically inapparent MAP reservoir in the Swiss cattle population. PCR cannot replace culture to identify individual MAP shedders but is suitable to identify MAP-infected herds, given that the amount of MAP shed in feces is increasing in diseased animals or in animals in the phase of transition to clinical disease.

Systemic and mucosal immune reactivity upon Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis infection in mice

Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the cause of Johne's disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder of ruminants. Due to the similar pathology, MAP was also suggested to cause Crohn's disease (CD). Despite of intensive research, this question is still not settled, possibly due to the lack of versatile mouse models. The aim of this study was to identify basic immunologic mechanisms in response to MAP infection. Immune compromised C57BL/6 Rag2-/- mice were infected with MAP intraperitoneally. Such chronically infected mice were then reconstituted with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells 28 days after infection. A systemic inflammatory response, detected as enlargement of the spleen and granuloma formation in the liver, was observed in mice infected and reconstituted with CD4+ T cells. Whereby inflammation in infected and CD4+CD45RB(hi) T cell reconstituted animals was always higher than in the other groups. Reconstitution of infected animals with CD8+ T cells did not result in any inflammatory signs. Interestingly, various markers of inflammation were strongly up-regulated in the colon of infected mice reconstituted with CD4+CD45RB(lo/int) T cells. We propose, the usual non-colitogenic CD4+CD45RB(lo/int) T cells were converted into inflammatory T cells by the interaction with MAP. However, the power of such cells might be not sufficient for a fully established inflammatory response in the colon. Nevertheless, our model system appears to mirror aspects of an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like CD and Johne's diseases. Thus, it will provide an experimental platform on which further knowledge on IBD and the involvement of MAP in the induction of CD could be acquired.

Paratuberculose em ruminantes no Brasil

A paratuberculose ou doença de Johne é uma enterite granulomatosa causada por Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) e comumente afeta ruminantes domésticos, no entanto, pode infectar várias espécies de mamíferos. Está presente nos cinco continentes e é considerada endêmica em algumas regiões pela Organização Internacional de Epizootias (OIE). Pertence à lista de enfermidades notificáveis, que compreende as doenças transmissíveis de importância sócio-econômica e/ou em saúde-pública, cujo controle é necessário para o comércio internacional de animais e alimentos de origem animal. A importância da doença de Johne não se restringe somente aos prejuízos econômicos causados à indústria animal, mas também na possível participação do Map na íleocolite granulomatosa que afeta seres humanos, conhecida como doença de Crohn. No Brasil, a paratuberculose já foi descrita em diversas espécies de ruminantes e em vários estados. Embora os relatos naturais da enfermidade sejam pontuais, acredita-se na possibilidade da transmissão interespecífica e na disseminação do agente através da compra e venda de animais infectados. O objetivo deste artigo foi reunir as informações disponíveis referentes aos aspectos epidemiológicos, clínico-patológicos e laboratoriais da paratuberculose em bovinos, bubalinos, caprinos e ovinos no Brasil, e salientar a necessidade de implementação de medidas de controle sanitário da enfermidade no país, o que possibilitaria a melhoria da qualidade e valorização dos produtos de origem animal no mercado internacional.