Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and its links to Crohn's Disease

Monday, 11 October 2021

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in cattle (JD).

In 2020, an ad-hoc subcommittee of the Scientific Committee of the FSAI reviewed primary, peer-reviewed papers published in the scientific literature between 2009 and 2019 which reference the putative link between Map and CD. Numerous studies published during that period provide evidence of an association between the presence of Map or human exposure to Map and the occurrence of CD. However, no new evidence has been published to substantiate the suggestion that this association is causal.

The subcommittee also reviewed recently published papers (2009-2019) on the efficacy of thermal pasteurisation at inactivating Map. This review suggests that viable Map is unlikely to be found in milk that has been pasteurised at a time-temperature combination of at least 75 °C for 20 seconds.

Finally, the Committee considered current gaps in knowledge which impact on the ability to assess the risk that Map poses to human health and the risk that humans could be exposed to Map in food; further studies to address these knowledge gaps are suggested.