Caveat: most information on M. paratuberculosis infection and Johne’s disease has been obtained through studies on domestic species (for example cattle, sheep, goats). While it is believed that this information likely is applicable to non-domestic species as well, there may be some facets that differ for which we do not yet have a good understanding. Please bear this in mind as you use this website. We welcome any experience/information you may wish to share about this disease in non-domestic species: please feel free to contact us at johnes@johnes.vetmed.wisc.edu.

What is your diagnosis?

An adult female addra gazelle (Gazella dama) had been losing weight despite intake of sufficient rations plus repeated treatment for gastrointestinal parasites. She intermittently had soft, clumpy stool. The animals sharing the enclosure included other addra gazelles, Thomson gazelles, white-bearded wildebeest, and Burchell's zebras. Some of these animals were acquired at less than 1 year of age. No immature animals were in this enclosure at the time the addra became ill.

What should be done at this point?

M. paratuberculosis was isolated by radiometric culture from a fecal sample collected from a 10 year old captive-bred male addax (Addax nasomaculatus). This animal was in good clinical condition and no other indication of Johne’s disease had been found previously for this animal or for animals sharing its exhibit. However, the infection was well-established in neighboring exhibits. The animal was housed alone. During subsequent months, additional fecal cultures, serology, semen culture, and tissue biopsy for histopathology and culture were completed. No further ante-mortem evidence for the infection was found in this addax. Euthanasia was elected and multiple tissues were collected for both culture and histopathology. No acid-fast organisms nor lesions were seen on histopathologic examination. M. paratuberculosis was isolated from eight different tissues.

Case lessons:

During routine surveillance of the artiodactylid collection at a zoo with no prior history of Johne’s disease, M. paratuberculosis was isolated from a fecal sample collected from a clinically normal adult female oryx . She was the herd dam and had been on site for more than 7 years. Two of her now adult calves remained in the herd.

A year later, a second isolation was made. No change in her clinical condition had occurred. She was isolated from the group at that time. After approximately six months, she began to lose weight. She was euthanized and while no gross evidence of the infection was found, the histopathologic lesions were consistent with Johne’s disease (both acid-fast rods and a granulomatous infiltrate were seen) and the organism was isolated from numerous tissues, both within and beyond the gastrointestinal tract.

Case lessons