Bacterial studies on the occurrence of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in fecal samples of zoo ruminants]

Mycobacterium (M.) paratuberculosis was isolated from fecal samples of 3 (21.4%) from 14 mouflons, of 10 (20.4%) from 49 dwarf goats, of 5 (14.3%) from 35 Cameroon sheep and of 1 (9.1%) from 11 alpine ibex. M. paratuberculosis could not found by cultural method in fecal samples of 22 Pinzgauer goats, of 15 bantengs, of 9 wild goats, of 9 skuddens, of 6 four-horned sheep, of 3 red-head sheep, and of 1 chamois. From all 19 animals with cultural positive fecal samples complement binding antibodies against M. paratuberculosis could not be found in the corresponding serum samples. The results confirm that M. paratuberculosis is more frequently in small zoo ruminants than up to now was suspected. The cultural examination of fecal samples has been proved to be a better method for detecting animal excretors than serological investigations by means of the complement fixation test.