author(s)
A Karthikeyan, L Gunaseelan, K Porteen and B Samuel Masilamoni Ronald

abstract
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is drawing attention as zoonotic pathogen in recent times due to its possible role in Crohn's disease of humans via consumption of contaminated milk and milk products. About 165 commercial milk and milk products from Tamil Nadu were screened to ascertain the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis using Ziehl–Neelsen staining and Polymerase chain reaction targeting IS900 and F57 region. None of the milk products found positive for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, which indicates negligible bio-load of organisms among commercial milk and milk products of Tamil Nadu. However, extensive sampling and screening using battery of diagnostic tests may delineate the contamination of this hazardous organism in human food chain.