Paratuberculosis in Latin America: a systematic review

Abstract

Latin America is the definition of the American group, where languages of Latin origin are spoken, including countries in South, Central, and North America. Paratuberculosis is a gastrointestinal contagious chronic disease that affects ruminants, whose etiological agent is the bacilli Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Paratuberculosis is characterized by intermittent diarrhea, decreased milk production, dehydration, and progressive weight loss and is possibly involved in Crohn's disease, a human intestinal disease. MAP is resistant to environmental factors, pasteurization, and water disinfection, which coupled with the subclinical-clinical nature of the disease, and makes paratuberculosis a relevant socioeconomic and public health issue, justifying the descriptive review of research on the disease carried out in Latin American countries. A survey of articles, published until September 2016, on the Scopus database, PubMed, Agris, and Science Direct, about detection of the agent and the disease in Latin America, without restrictions to the date of the research was performed. The keywords were as follows: "paratuberculosis," "Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis," "cattle," "milk," "wildlife," "goat," "ovine," "dairy," and the name of each country in English. Studies found from nine of the 20 Latin America countries, 31 related to Brazil, 17 to Argentina, 14 to Chile, eight to Colombia, six to Mexico, two to Peru, two to Venezuela, and one to Panama and to Bolivia, each. The agent was detected in cattle, goats, sheep, domesticated water buffalo, and wild animals. Microbiological culture, PCR, and ELISA were the frequent techniques. The small number of studies may result in overestimation or underestimation of the real scenario.

High prevalence of subclinical paratuberculosis in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Maranhão, Brazil

“…In our study, the tissues were not subjected to a second PCR analysis, and perhaps for this reason, the percentage of positive samples in this technique has been relatively low. The use of molecular tools, bacteriological cultivation associated with macroscopic, and microscopic findings has been effective on confirmatory diagnosis of MAP in buffaloes, according to Espeschit et al [8], when reporting in his review article about Paratuberculosis in Latin America, several works with this methodology. However, there is an advantage as the association of those tests makes the costly cost of diagnosis to the animal owner.…”

Multiplex assay for the simultaneous detection of antibodies against small ruminant lentivirus, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and Brucella melitensis in goats

“…Its causative agent, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is shed in feces, milk, and colostrum and may be spread from animal to human hosts by water and foodborne transmission routes, correspondingly representing a significant risk to public health safety [ 9 ]. Effective serological diagnostic tools are essential for accurate diagnosis of these diseases and the starting point for efficient epidemiological surveillance, as well as for the establishment of control and eradication programs.…”

“…Routine use of multiple single detection tests increases overall production costs and labor. Furthermore, large sample volumes are needed for each measurement (50–200 μL) [ 10 , 11 ], which reduces their regular use by farmers [ 5 , 7 , 9 ]. Furthermore, commercial tests are mainly based on immunosorbent techniques (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and its chemiluminescence variants) that can be costly and use toxic reagents that require careful handling and proper disposal [ 12 ].…”

Seroprevalencia a Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis en bovinos criollos colombianos Romosinuano y Costeño Con Cuernos

“…En Suramérica y el Caribe se ha estimado que la prevalencia general de la enfermedad en el ganado bovino es de 16,9% y a nivel de hatos del 75.8% (9). En Colombia la paratuberculosis bovina fue diagnosticada por primera vez en el año 1924; años más tarde fueron reportados otros casos en el departamento de Meta por el Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA) (10).…”