MAP, Johne's, Milk, Crohn's

This is the first time I've seen this article and... WOW! I've heard of MAP (Mycobacteria paratuberculosis) and the theory that Crohn's may be due to an infection and that's about it, but this article really links everything together. However, the article also gets my BS detector going somewhat with its conspiracies and lack of referenced sources. I've also never really read/heard anything similar in mainstream IBD channels (CCFA, gastroenterologists, etc.). The article's five years old, but it really does get you thinking. I drank a lot of milk growing up, and still drink a fair amount.

What do you think? Anybody been treated with the MAP antibiotics mentioned?

www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_id=40722

Try doing a forum search. This topic must have been discussed at least a hundred times before... but you might find some good info if you just read earlier discussions.

UC21, your doctor obviously does not know what he is talking about. Even the most 'mainstream', well-respected doctors, ie William Sandborn or Balfour Sartor, do not state that the MAP theory has been proven wrong; there is evidence that does not implicate MAP as a causative agent, but none that proves it to be harmless.

GDen, for more information on MAP and its relationship with CD, you might want to check out www.crohns.org www.crohnscanada.org www.youtube.com/ibdvideos www.johnes.org (at johnes, check out the presentations)

In my opinion, there is sufficient evidence that MAP most likely does cause some cases of CD, knowing which cases, and how to treat those cases is a more difficult problem, and one that won't likely be solved on a large scale basis for many patients until the medical community accepts that some cases of CD are caused by MAP.

I agree with Illini that it still remains a theory. I have heard it could be from milk, or for those who took alot of antibiotics, or for those who smoked, or its from bacteria. How do you explain the little one year old on here who has Crohns? What if this baby was breastfed, how could they get MAP? To be honest, no one knows, and the variables and possibilities are endless. JMHO

@Nanners about the one year old... I think he got it through his mothers milk ... today we find lots of elements and supstances in breastmilk and the placenta that should not be there and are a direct consequence of modern life
to quote the article:
"The mystery was resolved in 1984, when a microbiologist at Brown's University, Dr. Rodrick Chiodini, demonstrated that m. paratuberculosis sheds its cell wall in humans, and takes a new form, called a spheroblast. In a landmark study, Dr. Chiodini cultured Mycobacteria from children infected with Crohn's. "
So MAP gets into children... we need to indentify how and stop it... It might not cause Crohns but it still is not good

as for the MAP theory... I am not a doctor but I do think that the cause of Crohns is infectious but can't be sure is it MAP or E. Coli or something else... if you look at the documentary "Food Inc" you'll learn that we eat a lot of fecies, bacteria, antibiotics and other elements through our milk and meat that should not be there in the first place... I believe thats the root of all evil for us ..one of those things could be the cause of Crohns but then again all of those things could do it also (just think of all the different areas Crohns affects)

Post Edited (Escalador) : 1/13/2010 8:34:44 AM (GMT-7)

as the article suggests, the problem is in the food and in the water... so even if you undergo the RMAT therapy, if the theory is correct, MAP still comes into you and there lies the problem

Even my gatroenterologist recommends using only ultra-pasteurized dairy now. I began to use it about 6 years ago.

That's true!! There are many incidents of totally contradicting therapies:

High fat/protein versus the low residue (high carb) diets
One therapy involving increased Vitamin D supplementation versus a doctor who advocates very low Vitamin D intake
and now the milk!

Hmm, this is interesting stuff....much like Valerie a few posts above, Cipro and Flagyl have completely turned my life around. I have gone from an anxious wreck about 'where is the bathroom?' at all times, to not even thinking about it. I am still not completely "normal", but I'd say the improvement in my quality of life has been 50-75%.

I started seeing a new GI doctor a few weeks ago...he is the best. I said to him "If Cipro and Flagyl make such a huge difference for me, then doesn't that point to some out-of-control bacterial overgrowth being the catalyst for my issues?"...his answer: "Yes, and that's what we're going to find out"...so I went for a pelvic MRI the next week, had labs, and will be seeing him again in Feb. to discuss it...great doctor, and one who is very open to the bacterial factor in Crohn's.