Johne's Disease Species Cattle Goats Sheep Goats are the main species of interest. Sheep are the main species of interest.Other NamesMycobacterium paratuberculosisOvine Johne's DiseaseParatuberculosisSyndromesIllthrift DescriptionThis is a fatal mycobacterial infection affecting the intestines. Multiplication of bacteria and chronic inflammation slowly thicken the intestinal wall, preventing absorption of nutrients, and leading to wasting and diarrhoea. Affected animals show no signs for months or years after becoming infected until the extent of intestinal compromise causes progressive wasting. Eating and drinking continue normally until animals are too weak to move. There are separate sheep and cattle strains of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Goats may be infected with either strain. Bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) is endemic in south eastern Australia. There are control and eradication programs in Australia for both Ovine Johne's disease (OJD) and BJD. The disease is widespread in sheep and goats in Australia. Prevalence is lower in drier, lightly stocked areas. Problems may occur in the export process if infected animals are sourced in the belief they have easily remedied problems such as internal parasites or undernutrition. Also, stressors within the export process may accelerate progression of the disease and onset of clinical signs. It takes six weeks to 3 months from the onset of signs to death so there is the potential for animals to die during export.Clinical Signs and DiagnosisSuspicions are often first raised when there is unresponsive or unexplained wasting and death in yearling and adult animals. Flocks may have a distinct tail of clinically affected animals. At necropsy, the important diagnostic lesions are found in the intestines which have thickened walls, enlarged lymph nodes and prominent lymphatics. Differential diagnoses include internal parasites, undernutrition, poor dentition, and internal abscesses from cheesy gland or following rumenitis. Caprine arthritis and encephalitis (CAE) is an additional differential diagnosis in goats. With many of these differentials there is often some level of inappetence. Laboratory confirmation in live animals requires serum and faeces submitted chilled. In dead animals, recommended specimens include thickened gut, enlarged lymph nodes and liver chilled for microbiology and in buffered formalin for histology. In the absence of obvious gross lesions submit specimens of ileum, liver and ileal and caudal jejunal lymph nodes. TreatmentIt is untreatable, including with antibiotics. PreventionPrevention of infection occurs on farm by vaccination and management to avoid exposure of susceptible animals to infected stock. Prevention of onset of clinical signs in the export process is by sourcing younger, vaccinated animals from drier regions, or from flocks and herds in the Johne’s disease market assurance program. Minimising environmental and management stress will also reduce the likelihood of early infected animals developing clinical signs.