SKIN TESTING, FECAL CULTURE, AND LYMPHOCYTE IMMUNOSTIMULATION IN CATTLE INOCULATED WITH MYCOBACTERIUM-PARATUBERCULOSIS

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (12) , 2023-2025
Abstract
Fourteen calves at 21 days of age were experimentally inoculated with 100 mg (wet weight) of M. paratuberculosis. Three calves were inoculated orally, 4 i.v. and 7 s.c. Lymphocyte immunostimulation, fecal culture and intradermal tuberculin skin testing were done between 112 to 150 days following exposure. Lymphocyte immunostimulation test results, conducted at 112 days after inoculation, showed all animals positive to M. avium purified protein derivative. Fecal culture results, taken at 120 days after inoculation, showed that 2 of 3 animals inoculated i.v. were positive, whereas only 2 of 7 inoculated s.c. were positive (8 of 14 total were positive). Intradermal skin testing results at 150 days with M. avium purified protein derivative showed 13 of the 14 calves were positive. Calves were examined at necropsy 153 days after inoculation, and M. paratuberculosis was isolated from tissues of each of the 14 calves.