title: Facts, myths and hypotheses on the zoonotic nature of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.
abstract: Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis (Johne's disease [JD]), a chronic granulomatous enteritis in ruminants. JD is one of the most widespread bacterial diseases of domestic animals with significant economic impact. The histopathological picture of JD resembles that of Crohn's disease (CD), a human chronic inflammatory bowel disease of still unresolved aetiology. An aetiological relevance of MAP for CD has been proposed. This and the ambiguity of other published epidemiological findings raise the question whether MAP represents a zoonotic agent. In this review, we will discuss evidence that MAP has zoonotic capacity.
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic 1, University of Erlangen-Nuermberg, Ulmenweg 18, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atreya
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Food Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Frankfurter Straße 92, 35392 Gießen, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bülte
authors.affiliation: IVD GmbH, Heisterbergallee 12, 30453 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerald-F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microbiology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: ralph.goethe@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goethe
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Mathias W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hornef
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microbiology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meens
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Möbius
authors.affiliation: Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Department of Gastroenterology, Klinikstr.33, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roeb
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Molecular Immunology, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016927:Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission*
keywords: Crohn's disease; Johne's disease; Mycobacterium avium; Paratuberculosis; Zoonosis.