Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a chronic intestinal disease affecting ruminants and somenon-ruminants, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). In the Sudan, published data on the incidence and prevalence of PTB are Limited. we detected MAP in human patients with gastrointestinal complaints highlights its zoonotic potential and raises public health concerns. This study aimed at assessing PTB prevalence in cattle and identifying risk factors for MAP infection as well as investigating the phylogeny of MAP circulating in the Sudan. Both serum and faecal samples were collected from the same individual animals of 810 cattle in 153 herds in five states spanning three regions (Southern, Northern, and Central) of the country. ELISA was used to detect MAP antibodies in sera, while faecal samples were tested for MAP DNA using a recombinase aided amplification (RAA) assay and cultured for MAP isolation followed by partial sequencing of MAP insertion sequence 1311 with subsequent phylogeny analysis. At the animal level, the apparent prevalence was 5.0% for ELISA and 4.2% for RAA, with true prevalence estimates of 8.5% and 4.8%, respectively. At the herd level, apparent prevalence was 28.2% for ELISA and 22.3% for RAA, while true prevalence reached 54.2% for ELISA and 24.9% for RAA. Significant ( P < 0.05) risk factors for MAP infection included exposure to wild animals and high rainfall. Phylogenetic analysis of the Sudanese MAP isolates revealed close relatedness to type S (I/III) strains worldwide suggesting a shared evolutionary origin. The present study provides baseline data on PTB prevalence and risk factors in Sudanese cattle, emphasising the role of environmental and management factors in disease dynamics. These findings highlight the necessity of adopting targeted control strategies to reduce MAP impact on cattle and other animals as well as to prevent its potential public health hazard.

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes paratuberculosis (PTB), a chronic wasting enteritis of domestic and wild ruminants. Although the disease and/or its aetiology have been reported in livestock in the Sudan, they have not been investigated in wild animals. This study investigated MAP DNA prevalence in the Dinder National Park (DNP) to provide baseline data on PTB in wildlife. Fresh faecal samples (n = 274) of wild ruminants were collected from the ground around the six major water ponds of the DNP (44–48 samples/pond). Faecal DNA was extracted using a rapid extraction protocol and tested for MAP DNA using a real-time recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay. The vegetation structure around the ponds was observed and described. MAP DNA detection rates around the ponds ranged between 64.4% and 22.9%, with an overall apparent prevalence of 37.9% and a sensitivity/specificity-adjusted sample positivity of 42.4%. The faecal samples belonged to Reedbuck (Redunca redunca), Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), Waterbuck (Kobus defasa), African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer), Oribi (Ourebia ourebia), and among which MAP DNA detection rates were 39.4% (28/71), 39.1% (18/46), 38.0% (27/71), 37.5% (12/32) and 35.2% (19/54), respectively. The vegetation pattern around the ponds showed a notable difference that was consistent with MAP DNA detection. These results are consistent with the potential role of wildlife in paratuberculosis maintenance and transmission. Future investigations, including genotyping, would identify possible cross-transmission of the pathogen at the wildlife-domestic animal interface.