Dick Sibley and Peter Orpin presented papers at the International Paratuberculosis Conference in Sydney, Australia in February 2012. The progress with control and management were presented to a packed lecture theatre.
The conference is held every 2-3 years and is a key congress for Johne’s workers from around the world. The conference was attended by 297 delegates from 49 countries.
The proceedings and further information on Johne’s disease are published at the International Association of Paratuberculosis website
The key findings at the conference were:
There is wide variation in national approaches to Johne’s control. In the US $160 million has been spent in recent years on Johne’s awareness. Some countries ( notably Japan) are pursuing a complete eradication program whereas the majority are seeking effective reduction in incidence. The UK engagement program where over 2000 herds had already been engaged in Johne’s control on a voluntary basis has been very successful compared to other voluntary programmes.
In Holland the dairy processors have proceeded to making annual testing and culling compulsory farmer supplying milk.
The human health association was subject to detailed discussion with various workers describing how MAP antigen may by associated with Crohn’s disease, IBD and potentially juvenile Type I diabetes. The association of MAP with lesions does not however mean causation and more work is been undertaken to research these links.
The qPCR may provide some alternative approaches to demonstrating incidence in herds of low incidence.
MAP has been shown to survive in Australian pasture conditions for up to 14 weeks in cool summers ( their definition is only 12 days above 55 degrees C!)