Paratuberculosis was first diagnosed in 1962 in one cow imported from Denmark. Until 1989 the disease was diagnosed in 40 herds (20 cattle herd, 16 sheep and goat flock and in 4 herds of farmed deer and ruminants in zoological gardens). In 10 (25%) herds, animals were imported from the former Soviet Union, Great Britain, France, Hungary and Canada. Based on history and RFLP analysis, the distribution of paratuberculosis strains in different parts of the country was determined (RFLP type D-C12 in the West, B-C9 in the North and A-C10 central part of the country). Reason for the spread of the disease was mainly cow-calf weaning and common pasture for young and adult animals. Between 1990 and 1996, 30 000 heads of cattle and several hundreds of wild ruminants were imported. Until 1998 paratuberculosis was diagnosed in 12.2% of 428 imported groups of animals. During the period between 1990-2201, M. paratuberculosis was detected in 100 herds (71 herds imported), in 10 sheep and goat flocks (7 herds imported), and in 20 herds of domestic and wild ruminants. From these results it is evident that the spread of paratuberculosis started not only in domestic animals but also in wild ruminants. Thus control of paratuberculosis has taken place since 1998 with the provision of the District Veterinary Administration and the financial support funded by the ministry of Agriculture. Until 2001, the number of cattle population decreased from 1.2 mil nearly by half. This control programme relied on a twice per year faecal culture and removal of all positive animals which shed M. paratuberculosis in their faeces. Progenies of positive cows were also culled and the management practice applied with separate rearing of calves from their mother.

Supported by the grants No. QLRT - 2000 - 00879 Brussels, EC and QD1191 Min. of Agriculture, Czech Republic.