Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences. 2 (IS): 17 – 22 Special Issue–1 (Infectious Diseases of Animals and Global Health) http://dx.doi.org/10.14737/journal.aavs/2014/2.1s.17.22 Singh et al (2014). Dose Standardization of Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis 17 ISSN: 2307–8316 (Online); ISSN: 2309–3331 (Print) Research Article Shoor Vir Singh 1 *, Saurabh Gupta 1 , Kundan Kumar Chaubey 1 , Naveen Kumar 1 , Krishna Dutta Rawat 1 , Ruchi Tiwari 2 , Kuldeep Dhama 3 1 Microbiology Laboratory, Animal Health Division, Central Institute for Research on Goats, PO– Makhdoom, Farah, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India; 2 Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Uttar Pradesh Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhayay Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwa Vidyalaya Evum Go–Anusandhan Sansthan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India; 3 Division of Pathology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India *Corresponding author: shoorvir.singh@gmail.com; shoorvir_singh@rediffmail.com ARTICLE HISTORY ABSTRACT Received: Revised: Accepted: 2013–12–24 2014–02–08 2014–02–09 Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infection is most prevalent disease in Indian domestic livestock. Dose rates evaluation studies of ‘indigenous vaccine’ against Johne’s disease (JD) were conducted in naturally infected goats. Adult female goats (29) of Barbari breed (>1.5 years) poor in body condition and suffering with clinical JD were randomly divided into four groups; Goats in group I (n=6) were given 1 mL of plane adjuvant (Gerbu Biotechnik, Germany) used in the vaccine preparation, Group II (n=7) and group III (n=8) goats were vaccinated with 2.5 mg/ml/goat and 5.0 mg/ml/goat dose rates of indigenous JD vaccine, respectively, Group IV (Control, n=8) goats were given 1 ml of PBS. Vaccinated goats were monitored for overall improvements on the basis of health (morbidity), mortality, production (body weights, reproductive efficiency), physical and clinical conditions (weakness, diarrhea, skin coat, deposition of fat in visceral organs), immunological parameters (ELISA titer) and status of shedding of MAP bacilli in feces. Average of body weights gained within one year of vaccination in four groups statistically passed normality test (P value >0.1) and vaccinated goats gained higher body weights as compared to adjuvant (Group I) and control (Group IV) groups. At 360 dpv, goats in group II (2.5 mg/ml) showed higher titer of antibodies as compared to group III (5.0 mg/ml), while it varied in control group (IV). After vaccination clinical condition of goats improved (diarrhea stopped, regeneration of hairs, body coat regained luster). Kids born to vaccinated goats had higher birth weights. Comparative evaluation of two dose rates on above parameters showed that group II goats gained higher body weights (3.10±0.52 kg) and their physical conditions also improved in comparision to group III. Dose rate of 2.5 mg/ml/goat exhibited higher efficiency against JD than 5.0 mg/ml/goat. Therefore, under optimum nutritional conditions, 2.5 mg/ml/goat dose of native vaccine was optimum for the control of JD in goats endemically infected with MAP. All copyrights reserved to Nexus® academic publishers Key Words: Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, Indigenous vaccine, Dose rate, Naturally infected goats ARTICLE CITATION: Singh SV, Gupta S, Chaubey KK, Kumar N, Rawat KD, Tiwari R and Dhama K (2014). Dose standardization studies of ‘indigenous vaccine’ for the control of mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in naturally infected goats. Adv. Anim. Vet. Sci. 2 (IS): 17 – 23. INTRODUCTION Johne’s disease (JD), caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a global problem of domestic ruminants that adversely affect livestock productivity. Disease has been found endemic in goatherds of the country (Singh et al., 1996; Kumar et al., 2007; Singh et al., 2013a; 2013b). Production losses result from reduced milk production, shorter life expectancy, reduced fertility, longer kidding intervals, heavy premature culling, increased morbidity and higher expenditure on veterinary medicines, increased risk of other diseases (Ifearulundu and Kaneene, 1997). Annual economic losses due to ovine JD are around Rs 1,840 or $38.33 per sheep/farmer (VinodhKumar, 2013) in India. Presence of live MAP bacilli has been reported from raw and pasteurized milk and milk products (Grant et al., 2002; Shankar et al., 2010; Raguvanshi et al., 2013). MAP has potential to be categorized as zoonotic infection and has been associated with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or Crohn’s disease (CD) in human beings (Hermon–Taylor et al., 2000; Chamberlin and Naser, 2006). Dose Standardization Studies of ‘Indigenous Vaccine’ for the Control of Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis in Naturally Infected Goats