Sero-prevalence of Bovine Johne's disease in buffaloes and cattle population of North India using indigenous ELISA kit based on native Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis ‘Bison type’ genotype of goat origin

Present pilot study is the first attempt in the country to estimate sero-prevalence of Bovine Johne's disease (BJD) by screening cattle and buffaloes representing large population belonging to farmer's and farm herds in the home tracts (Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Punjab) of Hariana cattle and Murrah buffaloes in North India. Indigenous and in-house plate ELISA kit (using protoplasmic antigen from native Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ‘Bison type’ strain of goat origin), originally developed for goats and sheep was standardized in bovines and used for screening. For this study, 33 villages of south and west UP were randomly selected and surveyed from 2001 to 2003. There were 7943 farmer's families having 38,251 livestock, including cattle, buffaloes, goats and sheep (per family 4.8% livestock). Numerically, buffaloes and cattle were 54.7% and 22.1%, respectively. Serum samples were collected from 726 animals (4.2% of 16, 981 livestock with 4375 farmer's families) located in 33 randomly surveyed villages. Serum samples (699), submitted to Epidemiology Department of Veterinary College (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana), in the year 2004 by farmer's and organized farm herds (Buffaloes, 372, Cattle, 327), were screened by this ELISA kit.Soluble protoplasmic antigen was prepared from Map (S 5) ‘Bison type’ strain isolated from a terminally sick goat with Johne's disease. Of the total 1425 bovine (Buffaloes and cattle) serum samples screened using indigenous ELISA kit, sero-prevalence of Johne's disease was 29.0% (28.6% in buffalo and 29.8% in cattle) in Northern India. State-wise sero-prevalence was 31.9% and 23.3% in UP and Punjab, respectively. In UP, of the 601 randomly sampled buffaloes, sero-prevalence was 40.3% (16.6% in young and 40.9% adults) and 25.5% (10.5% in young and 26.3% adults) in south and west UP, respectively. Of the 125 cattle screened, sero-prevalence was 42.6% (nil in young and 44.4% adults) and 30.0% (nil in young and 30.6% adults) in south and west UP, respectively. Of the 699 serum samples screened from Ludhiana, Punjab, sero-prevalence of BJD was 23.0%. Sero-prevalence was 23.3% (12.1% in young and 24.4% in adults) and 26.9% (27.2% in young and 26.8% in adults) in buffaloes and cattle, respectively. High prevalence of BJD in buffaloes in native tract of Murrah breed, and Hariana breed of cattle correlated with poor per-animal productivity and BJD may be the major cause. Indigenous ELISA kit was rapid, economic and sensitive test for large-scale screening of buffaloes and cattle population against incurable BJD.

RésuméLa présente étude pilote constitue le premier essai dans le pays pour évaluer la séro-prévalence de la maladie de Johne chez les bovins.et chez les buffles dans les troupeaux de Uttar Pradesh et Punjab chez les bovins Hariana et chez les buffles Murrah dans le nord de l'Inde.Le kit Elisa utilisant l'antigène protoplasmique de Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis, souche bison développé originalement pour les chèvres et les moutons a été standardisé pour le diagnostic chez les bovins. Pour cette étude, 33 villages du sud et de l'ouest Utter Pradesh ont été randomisés de 2001 à 2003. Cet échantillon comprenait 38251 têtes de bétail incluant bœufs et buffles, chèvres et moutons et appartenant à 7943 fermiers. Les buffles et les bovins représentaient respectivement 54.7% et 22.1% de l'échantillon. Les sérums ont été recueillis sur 726 animaux appartenant à 33 villages différents. L'antigène plasmatique soluble a été préparé à partir de la souche bison isolée d'une chèvre atteinte de maladie de Johne. La séroprévalence de la maladie de Johne a été de 29% dans l'Inde du Nord, la séroprévalence dans le Pradesh a été de 31.9% et dans le Punjab de 23.3%.Il a été estimé que le kit Elisa constitue une méthode rapide et économique pour un dépistage chez les bovins et chez les buffles de la maladie de Johne.