"In vitro" activities of antimycobacterial agents against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis linked to Crohn's disease and paratuberculosis

Crohn's disease, a human disease similar to paratuberculosis in animals is the most painful and devastating disease that may involve infection with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), different genetic polymorphisms and an immune dysregulation syndrome [1-5]. Treatment of Crohn's disease is most commonly based on 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) compounds, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive agents. Recently, biological therapies using monoclonal antibodies against inflammatory cytokines have shown some positive results [6]. However, all these therapies treat the symptoms not the cause of the disease. Antimycobacterial therapy against MAP has recently showed promising results.