Principal Research Interests

Johne's disease is a prevalent, costly, infectious disease affecting dairy cattle and other ruminants. Improving methods of detecting the disease is the primary focus of the laboratory. In collaboration with other investigators, the diagnostic techniques available in our laboratory are used to study the epidemiology, economic impact, zoonotic potential, and pathogenesis of the disease in a variety of species (cattle, goats, llamas, etc). This has led to an increased volume of clinical submissions to the laboratory. In 1995 over 20,000 serum and 5,000 fecal samples were processed for diagnosis and control of Johne's disease. Another focus of the laboratory is investigation of the relationship between Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease in humans, and M. paratuberculosis. In addition to diagnostic services, the laboratory provides information and education through telephone consultation, herd visits, veterinary and producer presentations, lay publications, and a Johne's Information Center on the World Wide Web.

Areas of Teaching Responsibility

Representative Publications

• Sockett, D.C., Carr, D.J., Collins, M.T. Evaluation of conventional and radiometric fecal culture and a commercial DNA probe for diagnosis of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infections in cattle. Can. J. Vet. Res. 56:148-153. 1992.
• Collins, M.T. and Sockett, D.C. Accuracy and economics of the USDA-licensed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for bovine paratuberculosis. J. Am Vet Med Assoc . 203:1456-1463, 1993.
• Collins, M.T., Sockett, D.C., Goodger, W.J., et al. Herd prevalence, geographic distribution of, and risk factors for, bovine paratuberculosis in Wisconsin. J Am Vet Med Assoc . 204:636-641, 1994.
• Collins, M.T. Clinical approach to control of bovine paratuberculosis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 204: 208-210, 1994.
• Lambrecht, R.S., Collins, M.T. Inability to detect mycobactin in Mycobacteria-infected tissues suggests an alternative iron acquisition mechanisms by Mycobacteria in vivo . Microbial Pathogenesis 1993;14:229-238.
• Collins, M.T., Morgan, I.R. Simulation model of paratuberculosis control in a dairy herd. Prev Vet Med 1992;14:21-32.