Individual- and Herd-Level Milk ELISA Test Status and Incidence for Paratuberculosis in Hubei Province, China.

CHINA; HUBEI Sheng (China)

Simple Summary: Bovine paratuberculosis, a chronic infectious disease, is a significant concern in ruminants and wild animals, often leading to severe health issues and economic losses. In China, it is a prevalent yet underreported bovine disease. Our study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the prevalence of bovine paratuberculosis in Hubei Province. We also evaluated milk and blood antibody tests for paratuberculosis, which showed a high overall agreement of 92.0%. Using the milk test, we found that the highest lacto-prevalence at the individual level reached 22.9%, with a farm-level prevalence of 92.3% in January and 84.6% in April 2018. The total incidence risk of all farms was 6% per 3 months. Notably, large-scale farms had a significantly lower prevalence and incidence than small-scale farms. These findings underscore the need for robust prevention and control measures. Furthermore, our study underscores the significant impact of bovine paratuberculosis on milk quality, with a notable increase in somatic cell counts. These findings provide crucial insights into the prevalence and incidence risk of paratuberculosis in China, serving as a vital foundation for advocating for its prevention and control. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is responsible for the persistent infectious illness known as bovine paratuberculosis, which is one of the most easily overlooked diseases in China amid a lack of epidemiological data. In this study, we evaluated the agreement of milk and blood antibody tests for paratuberculosis and showed an overall agreement of 92.0%, with a 95.0% negative coincidence rate and a 78.6% positive coincidence rate. The milk test was then used to examine the prevalence and incidence of dairy cows in Hubei Province, China. We found that, at the individual level, the highest lacto-prevalence reached up to 22.9%; the farm-level prevalence was as high as 92.3% (12/13) and 84.6% (11/13) in January and April 2018, respectively. The total incidence risk of all farms was 6% per three months. We also found that large-scale farms had a significantly lower prevalence and incidence than small-scale farms. Finally, the correlation between paratuberculosis and milk quality was evaluated, and we confirmed that MAP can significantly alter milk quality and raise somatic cell counts in the milk. This study provides valuable information for assessing the prevalence and incidence risk of paratuberculosis in China. It further provides an essential basis for calling for the prevention and control of paratuberculosis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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