Low genetic diversity of bovine Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates detected by MIRU-VNTR genotyping

INMV 1, INMV 2 and INMV 3 are observed frequently in Europe and comprised 99.1% of the total MAP isolates characterised in this study, indicating that MAP exhibited low level of genetic diversity across the Republic of Ireland using the MIRU-VNTR method. By the implementation of SNP analysis or MLSSR as an additional typing method, MAP genetic diversity would increase. INMV 3 is unique to Ireland and whereas INMV 116 has never been previously reported among herds by MIRU-VNTR typing.