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ACTION RESEARCH

Action Research is a national medical research charity dedicated to preventing and treating disease and disability. We fund vital medical research into conditions affecting both children and adults

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ACTION RESEARCH

Crohn's Disease

The Situation March, 2005

A leading medical researcher funded by Action Medical Research has claimed that a bug, which is present in retail pasteurised milk in the UK, causes Crohn’s disease. The bug, an organism known as MAP (Mycobacterium Avium-subspecies Paratuberculosis), is not completely killed by normal milk pasteurisation methods. It can also be found in water.

ACTION RESEARCH: Crohn’s disease: The causes: Update

Milk and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (MAP) Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (MAP) has a very low level of infectivity

MAP discovered 100 years ago and known to cause chronic enteritis in many animal species, including primates

It can persist for years in animals without causing clinical disease 1994 survey dairy farms

SW England showed 1% herds affected within which 2% of animals showed clinical disease

Within affected herds, a further proportion (6-15%) of animals will be sub-clinically affected (i.e. won't appear diseased)

Both affected and sub-clinically affected animals shed MAP into milk Milk from affected animals is thrown away.

Milk from sub-clinically affected animals enters pool for pasteurisation

Current work suggests that MAP may cause chronic enteritis in man in the presence of an inherited/acquired susceptibility

Other factors (co-factors) are involved — an inherited susceptibility, incidental infection (gastro-enteritis or multi-viral infections in childhood) and also psychological conditions which favour disease states

MAP is tolerated by the vast majority of people with no ill effects For those patients with CD — or close relatives who may share same genetic disposition — it may be sensible to drink UHT milk

Other gastroenterological problems are not associated with this and there should be no concern about drinking milk as usual.

6th August 2003 Press release Medical charity confirms link to Crohn’s Disease

Leading medical charity Action Research has confirmed a highly significant association between Crohn’s disease and a type of bacteria known as Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP).

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ACTION RESEARCH (New)

Medical charity confirms link to Crohn’s Disease 06/08/2003

Medical charity confirms link to Crohn’s Disease 06/08/2003 Leading medical charity Action Research has confirmed a highly significant association between Crohn’s disease and a type of bacteria known as Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Over 90% of Crohn’s disease sufferers who took part in the study were found to be infected with the MAP bug. The results of this study are reported in the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology

Crohn's Disease

The situation

MAP A leading medical researcher funded by Action Research has claimed that a bug, which is present in retail pasteurised milk in the UK, causes Crohn's disease. The bug, an organism known as MAP (Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis), is not completely killed by normal milk pasteurisation methods. It can also be found in water. Please refer to the following url:

http://www.action.org.uk/news_media/crohns.php

Crohn's disease vaccine Grant Number: SP3625 Location: Department of Surgery, St George's Hospital Medical School, London. Amount: £159700 Date: Grantholder: Professor John Hermon-Taylor M Chir, FRCS Research Worker: Dr Tim J Bull

As a result of his earlier research, much of it funded by Action Research, Professor Hermon-Taylor believes that MAP could be transmitted from our domestic livestock to cause chronic inflammation of the Crohn's disease type in humans who have a particular susceptibility. This further research will take the first and critically important step in the development of an entirely new MAP vaccine in order to treat people with active Crohn's disease. The aim is to bring about relief and the return to health for thousands of people.

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Crohn's disease vaccine

This further research will take the first and critically important step in the development of an entirely new MAP vaccine in order to treat people with active Crohn's disease. The aim is to bring about relief and the return to health for thousands of people.

Leading Scientist and Action Research welcome longer milk pasteurisation 06/12/2001

The UK government’s own research confirmed that the bacterium is found in retail milk and is not killed by normal pasteurisation methods. John Grounds, Communications Director of Action Research said: “We have been steadfastly supporting research into Crohn's disease for many years and are delighted that the government seems to be taking action.

http://www.actionresearch.co.uk/medi/press/10.23-6.12.101.press.html

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.20 June 2000 CHARITY ATTACKS GOVERNMENT STANCE ON CROHN'S DISEASE

Action Research, the medical research charity, believes the government has missed another opportunity to address the growing problem of Crohn's Disease by refusing to make the disease Notifiable.

John Hermon-Taylor, professor of surgery at St George's Medical School and a leading Crohn's disease expert said "Within one year of making Crohn's disease Notifiable we would have an expanding, anonymous and accurate database of the occurrence, location, age sex and other important data about Crohn's disease such as exposure to unpasteurised milk or contaminated water. This would be a vital resource for the epidemiological and other studies that clearly need to be done, and for the early and accurate measurement of remedial actions". Current estimates are that Crohn's disease affects up to 80,000 people in the UK. It is thought that there are 4000 - 8000 new cases every year and that the problem is growing. The weakness of these estimates was emphasised in the House of Lords where the numbers for Crohn's disease sufferers in Britain varied between 30,000 and 100,000. A large body of evidence suggests that the bacteria known as MAP (Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis), which is found in retail pasteurised milk, is a causative agent of the disease. A recent report by the European Commission states that "There are sufficient grounds for concern to warrant increased research activity to resolve the issue (that MAP causes Crohn's disease in man)".

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