The epidemiology of Johne's disease in New Zealand farmed deer, including validation of abattoir-based surveillance : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Clinical Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

dc.contributor.authorHunnam, Jaimie
dc.date.accessioned2012-04-04T02:49:32Z
dc.date.available2012-04-04T02:49:32Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.descriptionContent removed due to copyright restrictions: Hunnam, J. C., Wilson, P. R., Heuer, C., Mackintosh, C. G., West, D. M., & Clark, R. G. (2011). Histopathology of grossly normal mesenteric lymph nodes of New Zealand farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) including identification of lipopigment. Veterinary Pathology, 48(2), 525-529. doi: 10.1177/0300985810382671en
dc.description.abstractJohne’s disease (JD), a fatal granulomatous enteritis predominately affecting ruminants, is caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and has become a potentially serious economic risk to New Zealand deer farmers. This research investigates the incidence of clinical JD on affected deer farms, along with potential risk factors that may be adopted by farmers for its control. Additionally, research was undertaken to establish a national abattoir surveillance mechanism for MAP, and to validate criteria used for that purpose. Personal interview of 174 farmers in a 2005/2006 national case-control study, followed by a 2007 longitudinal postal questionnaire, allowed characterization of clinical JD at the herd- and age-class levels and identification of risk factors significantly associated with herd-level MAP infection and farmer-diagnosed clinical JD in young deer. The mean within-herd clinical JD annual incidence rate was 1%, with age-class incidence rates highest (2.0%) in yearling hinds and stags. The proportion of herds affected with clinical JD increased from 2005 to 2007, showed a seasonal trend, and was higher in the South versus North Island. Species other than deer, specifically beef cattle and sheep, were variably associated with herd-level MAP infection and clinical JD in young deer. As the first investigation of herd-level MAP and clinical JD in farmed deer, this research considerably increased our knowledge specific to this species. This information may inform control measures and direct further research aimed at reducing the prevalence and transmission of MAP and development of clinical JD in farmed deer. Another research aim was to validate abattoir MAP surveillance in deer through meat inspector identification of ‘abnormal’ lymph nodes (LN). A pilot cross-sectional study found 94.6% of ‘abnormal’ LN were MAP-positive through culture or histopathological examination. A 55 mm circumference cut-point defining an ‘abnormal’ LN was then established and the sensitivity, specificity and level of agreement of inspector detection were estimated at 13.3%, 99.9% and ‘fair’ (? = 0.32), respectively. As an adjunct to this validation, the prevalence of and risk factors associated with seven histopathological features of grossly ‘normal’ LN from herds classified at ‘low’ and ‘high’ MAP risk were described. This research allows confident and informed use of conclusions drawn from the national abattoir-based surveillance scheme. However, animal-level prevalence is currently underestimated with use of ‘abnormal’ LN as the sole criterion and further inspector training is required. The research presented in this thesis provides the foundation for future examination of MAP and clinical JD in farmed deer, its control and surveillance.en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10179/3184
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherMassey Universityen_US
dc.rightsThe Authoren_US
dc.subjectParatuberculosisen
dc.subjectEpidemiologyen
dc.subjectNew Zealanden
dc.subjectRed deeren
dc.subjectDiseases and pestsen
dc.titleThe epidemiology of Johne's disease in New Zealand farmed deer, including validation of abattoir-based surveillance : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Clinical Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealanden
dc.typeThesisen
massey.contributor.authorHunnam, Jaimieen
thesis.degree.disciplineVeterinary Clinical Scienceen
thesis.degree.grantorMassey Universityen
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)en
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