Facebook-MAP-associated-diseasesMultiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Type 1 Diabetes, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Sarcoidosis. The list goes on. Mycobacterium Avium subspecies Paratuberculosis (MAP) has been implicated in all these diseases and the evidence for this association is increasing.

With the number of hospital and GP appointments we all have to attend, whether for routine consultations or procedures such as colonoscopy, endoscopy or surgery, imagine how much we could make, to bring closer an end to such immense suffering. Got an appointment? Give £2. It will all help to bring an end to this misery.

https://www.justgiving.com/Appointments-MEN9150/

From Andy Powell

Over the course of the last weekend of June, from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th, myself along with friends and family completed a ‘triathlon’ style series of sporting events aimed at raising money for the Crohn’s MAP Vaccine. This consisted of a team 5km swim on Friday, 15 miles of mountain biking at Cannock Chase on Saturday, and rounded off with a fun badminton tournament on Sunday, with 25 people taking part and prizes for the winners! After a very tiring weekend, we raised in total over £1300 towards the vaccine and had huge fun doing it. Many thanks to all who took part and/or donated and those who helped with the organization. I would love to fundraise again in the future and I’m so pleased to see not only the word getting out about the vaccine but the number of fundraisers increasing. I am amazed by everyone’s generosity and support! I have no doubt the cure will come sooner rather than later!

https://www.justgiving.com/Andy-Powell7-MEN9150/

Andy, thank you so much for all you have done. It sounds utterly exhausting and we appreciate it so much.

We recently received this PDF. About the village, Blockley Gloucestershire when Dr Robert Allan was doing a study on the village. At the time Dr Allan’s team tested everything from the water to the soil and the blood of most of the villagers. It was brought up at the time that there had been a herd of Jersey cattle that had to be destroyed when they were believed to have Johnes disease. It was slightly poo pooed (pardon the pun). People were interviewed by the Local TV station and asked what they thought were the cause of my disease, they replied the milk and meat of the cattle and that the Milk marketing board should discuss it. The interview was never aired. It did make a daily newspaper who did a double spread of the “cursed Village”. Dr Allan presented a paper on the cluster with results of his tests.

Here is the paper.

 

As we all know medical research and development can take an agonisingly long time, especially for those of us trying to keep the Crohn’s at bay until the vaccine is ready. For this reason we don’t like to interrupt the work going on at the Lab too frequently. However today I spent a couple of hours there, and I am able to share good news.

I was there with Amy today, primarily to donate some more of my blood to enable them try out the third possible replacement flow cytometer. Professor Hermon-Taylor is very grateful for all the money that has come in so far and really hopes that there is enough in the pot for him to be able to get the new flow cytometer as soon as possible as he is keen to crack on. To help, you can donate here.

I was also lucky enough to be able to sit down with the Professor and look at some of the images being produced now. MAP infected cells are shown clearly and different types of cells can even be identified. There is so much more detail on the images since the last time I visited the Lab earlier this year and everyone is very excited. There is a real feeling of the beginning of a new term.

And if that wasn’t already enough good news this photo shows the signing of THE contract, which took place yesterday. This is Professor Hermon-Taylor with the team from HVL signing the contract for the manufacture of the MAP vaccine by Oxford University’s Clinical BioManufacturing Faculty. This is the vaccine that will be used for the human trials. It’s really happening!

 

 

montage showing details of Crohn's and Johne's

We are pleased to announce that the Review of Latest Research on Possible Link Between Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and Crohn’s Disease for the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP), 26 February 2015 by Dr Irene R. Grant Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast is now available.

It covers associations between MAP and human disease and the potential for human exposure to viable MAP via milk and dairy products.

The original source of this document is:
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/advisory-committee-on-dangerous-pathogens
You will find it under ‘Minutes’ by clicking on ‘Minutes, papers and agendas > 2015 > 26 February 2015 > ACDP_106_P5 MAP and Crohn’s’

Download the PDF here.

Image of ACDP MAP and Crohns