Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in formula milk from Bogor using PCR IS 900.

Crohn’s disease (CD) that becomes a public health concern in developed countries shows similarities in clinical signs and pathological features with Johne’s disease (JD) in ruminants infected by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Few researches conducted in Europe, the USA, and Australia showed relationships between MAP, CD, JD and dairy products. Indonesians consume milk and diary products from domestic and imported source. Adji in 2004 found some domestic dairy cows that were seropositive for MAP, and this could be a serious problem in dairy farm animals and human health in the future. The aim of this study was to detect MAP in the growing up formula milk. Fifty samples from five established factories were taken from supermarkets in Bogor. Polymerase chain reaction method (PCR) with insertion sequence (IS) 900 as primer and culture in Herrold’s egg yolk media with mycobactin J (HEYM J) as a gold standard were used in this study. Neither MAP grew up in HEYM J medium after 20 weeks of culture period nor positive samples by PCR IS 900 were found. Although there were no positive samples found in this study, further extensive and comprehensive studies on MAP should be done with more and varied samples, as well as in human to provide data on MAP in Indonesia.

Using homeopathica drugs combination at peripartal phase in preventing bovine subclinical mastitis.

A total of 33 dairy lactating cows suffering from subclinical mastitis were classified into group A (10 cows), group B (12 cows) and group C (11 cows). They were treated with the combination of homeopathic drugs and placebo, applied at the 4th and 3rd week antepartum (a.p), and continuing every week postpartum (p.p), for four times. Group A received Coenzyme comp® (in the 4th and 3rd week a.p), Lachesis comp® combined with Traumeel®(1st and 2nd week p.p) and Coenzyme comp® combined with Carduus comp® (3rd and 4th week p.p). Group B received Traumeel®+ Mucosa comp® (4th and 3rd week a.p), Lachesis comp®+ Traumeel® (1st and 2nd week p.p) and Coenzyme comp®+ Carduus comp® (3rd and 4th week p.p) and group C as a placebo. The incidence of subclinical mastitis in group A and C appeared irregular. In contrast, group B showed a constant percentage (33.3%). Group A and B showed significant response to the homeopathic drugs, expressed as an increasing of the somatic cell count value. At peripartal phase, haptoglobin increased in group B 0.80 mg/ml and group A as well as placebo 1.40 mg/ml. After calving, group B expressed a constant value (0.05 mg/ml), while group A and placebo rose significantly. The milk yield in normal lactation period (the 3rd - 7th month) increased significantly, with an increasing 14.1% for group B and 4.9% A respectively.