Mycobacterium avium subspecies Paratuberculosis is the formal scientific name given to a bacterium belonging to a large family known The Mycobacteriaceae. Most members are harmless but the family does boast 2 rather notorious members, the bacterium responsible for Tuberculosis and for Leprosy. Mycobacterium avium subspecies Paratuberculosis was first described in 1895 when Drs. Johne and Frothingham, investigating the cause of an intestinal disease that killed a German cow, noted the remarkable similarities to intestinal tuberculosis. They thought the new disease to be an unusual form of TB. The causative organism was eventually isolated and called Paratuberculosis or quite literally, tuberculosis-like. Later studies revealed a close association to tuberculosis of birds, hence the designation avium. And so it is that a tiny organism that is extremely difficult to detect, that is even harder to culture and to kill and that has a fondness for living in tight little groups, acquired the long scientific name of Mycobacterium avium subspecies Paratuberculosis. Over the years, it has had many aliases but fortunately, it is today commonly known as either Paratuberculosis or Map for short. The disease caused by Map is known as Johne's (pronounces Yo-neez) after its discoverer or simply Paratuberculosis after the bacterium.

For those interested in knowing more about this group of bacteria, please visit “Mycobacteria and Nocardia” by David McMurray or “The Mycobacteria – Ducks of the Microbial World” by Lafras M. Steyn.

  Dr. Michael Greger is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. He has been speaking publicly about Mad Cow Disease since 1993. He debated National Cattlemen's Beef Association Director Gary Weber before the FDA and was invited as an expert witness at the Oprah Winfrey trial. He has contributed to many books and articles on the subject and continues to lecture extensively. His interests in human diseases acquired through contaminated animal products eventually led him to the study of Mycobacterium avium Paratuberculosis and its implication in Crohn's disease.

  The possibility that a bacterium that causes a fatal disease in dairy and beef cattle may also cause Crohn's disease has been voted one of the 25 top censored stories of the year 1999. In April of 2000, Project Censored published its annual compilation of the prior year's top 25-censored stories. This year's book entitled "Censored 2000" recognises the work of journalist Lisa Chamberlain, Editor-in-Chief of the Cleveland Free Times. Ms. Chamberlain's article was the first and only article published on a nation-wide basis in the US, which attempted to draw the public's attention to the fact that the bacterium MAP may be transmitted to humans through contaminated milk/dairy products, beef and water supplies.

  Project Censored is often referred to as the Pulitzer Prize of alternative journalism. Project Censored is a 24-year-old program at California's Sonoma State University. Its principal objective is the advocacy for and protection of First Amendment rights and freedom of information in the US, identifying and researching important news stories that are under-reported, ignored, misrepresented or censored by media corporations in the US.

  In 1997, Kurt Gutknecht, editor of the highly respected farm publication Wisconsin Agriculturist, was preparing an article on milk safety for their July issue. He called Mr. Joseph M. Smucker of the US FDA to question him about the FDA position regarding safety of commercial pasteurisation. Mr. Smucker refused to talk to him. Despite being the team leader of the milk safety team, Mr. Smucker asserted that he did "not have the expertise nor the clearance from the FDA to speak to you on this subject." The subject that Mr. Smucker wouldn't discuss was the official FDA position that stated conclusively “that commercial pasteurization eliminates the hazard" of contamination of the US milk supply with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map).

  Dr. Rod Chiodini, first scientist to successfully isolate Paratuberculosis from Crohn's tissues, compiled the following tables in 1989 to show the close similarities between Crohn's and other diseases caused by members of the family of bacteria known as Mycobacteria. These include Intestinal Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Leprosy caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Johne's disease in animals caused by Mycobacterium avium Paratuberculosis.

Crohn's disease and the Mycobacterioses: a review and comparison of two disease entities by Dr. R. Chiodini (full article)