Molecular typing of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) isolated from dairy goats in Brazil

• Paratuberculosis in a chronic intestinal disease that mostly affects ruminants.
• Minas Gerais state is the third largest producer of goat milk in Brazil.
• Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, type C strain, is circulanting in the properties of Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais.
• This is the first report of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis typing isolated from goat in Brazil.

In the last decade there was a significant increase dairy goat participation in the world and Brazilian agricultural scenario. Minas Gerais state is the third largest producer of goat milk in Brazil. Paratuberculosis is a chronic intestinal disease that mostly affects ruminants and can become a public health problem due to the possible association with Crohn's disease. It is transmitted by ingesting Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) contaminated food or water. In recent years, with the development of molecular techniques, the disease has been identified with greater precision and more quickly. MAP strains (S-Sheep, Cattle-C and B-Bison) have also been typed. The detection of a circulating MAP strain in a herd is important to develop epidemiological studies and thus establish better strategies to control paratuberculosis. This study aimed to identify and type MAP in dairy goat farms in the Zona da Mata, the main producing region of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Feces and milk samples of 467 animals were collected, processed, inoculated in Herrold's Egg Yolk Agar (HEYM) and submitted to PCR and REA techniques. Eleven (2.36%) animals were positive for the presence of MAP in four properties and the isolates were characterized as type C strain. It was concluded that MAP is present in dairy goats from properties in Zona da Mata, MG and that strain type C circulates in the area. This is the first report of MAP typing isolated from dairy goat in Brazil.