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Paratuberculosis causes significant losses in dairy farming, the complex control of which requires a combination of several measures. But the relevant combinations are poorly known. Moreover, the variable responses to infection and the hereditary nature of resistance suggest that genetic selection would help control the disease, necessitating the study of the influence of improved phenotypic traits on infection dynamics. Faced with these challenges, modelling is proving useful for comparing a wide range of situations. Four phenotypic traits are determinant if improved simultaneously: decrease sensitivity and excretion levels, increase incubation period and infectious dose. To avoid worsening the situation in already infected herds, measures should be chosen according to prevalence, combining calf management and detection/elimination of excreting animals.

Bibliography :

Camanes G., Joly A., Fourichon C., Ben Romdhane R., Ezanno P. 2018. Control measures to avoid increase of paratuberculosis prevalence in dairy cattle herds: an individual-based modelling approach. Vet. Res. 49:60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-018-0557-3

Ben Romdhane R., Beaunée G., Camanes G., Guatteo R., Fourichon C., Ezanno P. 2017. Which phenotypic traits of resistance should be improved in cattle to control paratuberculosis dynamics in a dairy herd: a modelling approach.  Veterinary Research 48:62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-017-0468-8