‘Indigenous milk ELISA kit’ vis a vis multiple test regime for the estimation of lacto-prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in goat herds endemic for johne's disease Raguvanshi T.S., Sharma R.B., Singh A.V., Singh B., Singh S.V., Dhama K.1 Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Farah-281122, Mathura, (Uttar Pradesh) 1Division of Pathology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243122, (Uttar Pradesh) Abstract Lacto-prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was investigated in the milk of naturally infected goatherds with Johne's disease (JD). Sixty five milk samples (48 individual goats and 17 pooled) were screened by ‘Indigenous milk ELISA’, milk microscopy and IS900 milk PCR. Of the 48 samples, 24 each were collected from Jamunapari and Jakhrana breeds of goats located at CIRG, Makhdoom. Of the 65 milk samples, 20 (30.7%), 9 (13.8%) and 5 (7.6%) were positive for MAP in m-ELISA, m-microscopy and m-PCR, respectively. Presence of MAP was higher in 48 individual goat milk samples (m-ELISA-37.5%; m-microscopy-16.6%; m-PCR-8.3%) as compared to pooled milk samples (indigenous m-ELISA-11.7%; m-microscopy-5.8%; m-PCR-5.8%). ‘Indigenous m-ELISA’ had potential of useful ‘single screening test’ for the screening of lactating goats against MAP infection (‘Lacto-prevalence’) in goatherds endemic for Johne's disease. Moderately higher, lacto-prevalence of MAP in the milk of goats resulted in the infection of neonatal kids soon after birth causing endemicity of Johne’ disease in these herds. High prevalence of MAP in the milk of goats was commensurate with the poor physical condition, low productivity and higher morbidity in the goatherds screened. ‘Lacto-presence’ of MAP in raw milk samples of the lactating goats was major source of infection to neonatal kids which maintained the endemicity of MAP and also had potential of transmission to human beings by consumption of raw and pasteurized milk and milk products. Top |