First Isolation of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis From Wild Guanacos (Lama Guanicoe) on Tierra Del Fuego Island

Abstract

The aim of this study was to search for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) infection in a free-ranging wild animal species in a region where Johnes's disease has yet to be reported and to classify Map isolates using a genomic typing method. Fecal samples were obtained from 501 wild guanacos (Lama guanicoe) from Tierra del Fuego Island, Chile, in August 2006. Samples were cultured using Herrold's egg yolk medium with and without mycobactin J. After 9 mo of incubation, suspected Map colonies showing mycobactin dependence were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on IS900 and F57. Isolates were further tested using IS1311 PCR with restriction endonuclease analysis in order to type the guanaco Map strains. Twenty-one of 501 (4.2%) animals were fecal culture-positive for Map; identity was confirmed by real-time PCR and isolates were classified as cattle-type. Most culturepositive animals were located in four contiguous geographic areas, and the infection was most commonly found among adult animals. Prevalence was higher in females (5.9%) than males (3.1%) but the difference was not statistically significant. This represents the first isolation of Map from a free-ranging wildlife species in Chile. It expands the geographic range of paratuberculosis and the diversity of wildlife species that can become infected with Map.

Disorders of the Digestive System

“…[164][165][166][167] The organism is shed in the feces of infected animals and may survive on pasture or in lagoons up to a year, especially under cool, moist, acidic conditions. The "bovine" strain appears to be the more common isolate in both wild and domestic camelids, but the ovine strain has been found as well.…”

Paratuberculosis or avian tuberculosis in red deer with chronic diarrhea?

“…In Chile, Map infection has been reported in cattle (Grinbergs and Caorsi 1958), sheep (Zamora et al 1975), goats (Kruze et al 2006), guanacos (Lama guanicoe) (Salgado et al 2009) and hares (Salgado et al 2011 b ). Due to the close relation between wild and domestic animals in some areas, it is suggested that other wild and captive animal populations could be infected Infection by Map has also been described in wild and captive deer populations in many countries (de Lisle et al 1993, Power et al 1993, Fawcett et al 1995, Manning et al 1998, Godfroid et al 2000, Paolicchi et al 2001, Machackova-Kopecna et al 2005, van Kooten et al 2006, Mackintosh et al 2007.…”

Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis in Wild Boars in Korea

“…Singh et al (2010) suggested that ''bison type'' was predominant in deer, wild bison (Bison bison), and other domestic ruminants in India, where 95.1% of domestic livestock was infected with ''bison type.' ' Salgado et al (2009) showed that all isolates from wild guanacos (Lama guanicoe) in Chile were ''cattle type'' and suggested cattle as the primary source of MAP. Here we found that ''cattle type'' was the major genotype of MAP found in wild boar in Korea and suggest that MAP in wild boar may originate from cattle.…”