Detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in mouflon muscle tissue

The aim of this study was to examine muscle tissue (back muscle, leg) from mouflon reared in selected game enclosures in the Czech Republic for the presence of the causative agent of paratuberculosis (Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis; MAP). Faecal and muscle tissue samples were collected to determine the current state of health of the animals. Thirty-three of the 48 animals tested were found to be positive in either the muscle or faeces (68.8%). The causative agent of paratuberculosis was found in the muscle tissue of 16 animals (48.5%). Animals affected by paratuberculosis show clinical symptoms resembling symptoms of Crohn’s disease in humans. Crohn’s disease is a multifactorial disease and MAP is “suspected” to be one of its triggers. The presence of MAP in muscle tissue from almost half of the mouflon tested in this study would, for this reason, seem significant. In view of the increasing popularity of game, certain preliminary recommendations formulated in this article should be taken into consideration in order to reduce the risk of consumption of the meat of game animals contaminated with MAP.