DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SLOW PROGRESSIVE INFECTIONS

摘要

The invention provides a method for detecting infection of an animal with a micro-organism that causes a slow progressive disease, comprising providing said animal with a protein of said micro-organism, or a functional part, derivative and/or analogue thereof, and measuring an immune response of said animal directed against said micro-organism. With a method of the invention, diagnosis during early stages of an infection has become possible. In one aspect said micro-organism comprises Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. Preferably, said protein comprises a surface-associated protein. Peptides comprising B-cell epitopes of M.avium ssp paratuberculosis heat shock protein 70, nucleic acid molecules encoding such peptides and diagnostic kits comprising a peptide and/or nucleic acid molecule of the invention are also herewith provided.