The presence of acid-fast bacilli compatible with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in fecal and tissues smears was investigated using the Ziehl-Neelsen staining. A total of 26 fecal smears and 104 tissues smears collected from 26 sheep with confirmed paratuberculosis were analyzed. Sixteen (61.5%) fecal smears showed compatible with acid-fast bacilli on microscopic examination after staining. Twenty animals (76.9%) were diagnosed based on the positivity of tissues smears. The Ziehl-Neelsen sensitivities to faecal smears, tissues smears, and a combination of both were 61.5%, 76.9%, and 80.8%, respectively.
ovine; paratuberculosis; Ziehl-Neelsen; smear; diagnosis
