crohnscanada.myfastforum.org

david.crichton · Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 83

...to get MAP out of the food chain and start researching ways to detect and treat MAP infections

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubme...efaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Summary
The plausibility of a causal role of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in Crohn’s disease has gone from controversial to compelling. This century old debate is resolving because of unfolding understanding of shared genetic susceptibilities for Crohn’s and mycobacterial infection in addition to newer laboratory tests to detect MAP which have linked MAP and Crohn’s. Mycobacterial heat shock proteins are associated with a multitude of “autoimmune” diseases, including Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the initiating events of atherosclerosis. These heat shock proteins may come from MAP; this article postulates a causal role for MAP in multiple inflammatory and “autoimmune” diseases.

From the article: The Johne’s/Crohn’s century-old controversy may be nearing resolution. Yet, new questions arise. Common to the etiology of these autoimmune diseases is a proposed ‘‘environmental agent’’ which affects the genetically susceptible. The postulate offered in this article is that MAP maintains an occult and persistent presence in the genetically susceptible individual, provides the mycobacterial HSP65 that is the ‘‘environmental agent’’ and triggers these "autoimmune" diseases. If it is so, MAP is truly a superantigen.