There is no European legislation concerning paratuberculosis that requires that imported animals be kept in quarantine and commonly they are directly released into areas with other animals. In this study, detection of latent infection of paratuberculosis in healthy mouflons previously diagnosed as paratuberculosis-free, but originating from a real time quantitative PCR- (qPCR-) positive herd, occurred after their transport to a new farm. During a twelve-day quarantine period, all mouflons irregularly shed Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in faeces, and in a small number of cases also in milk. After the animals were released from quarantine, MAP was detected for a further two days, after which, testing was negative, except in one case. Therefore, the stress connected with transport, novel environment, dietary change, or limited area with high density of animals might have contributed to the induction of paratuberculosis and the shedding of MAP from the animals, previously diagnosed as MAP-negative. According to these results, the keeping of imported animals in quarantine and their examination for MAP presence not only before the transport but also afterwards should be recommended. The designation of a particular area of a farm as a quarantine enclosure could help to mitigate the impact of stress caused by a confined space with a high density of animals. 1. Introduction Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease (JD), caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is a disease affecting mainly domestic but also wild ruminants, including mouflons (Ovis musimon; wild sheep) [1–3]. In wild ruminants, paratuberculosis often manifests subclinically without overt symptoms which makes the disease more concerning from an epidemiological point of view [3, 4]. During the subclinical as well as clinical phase of the infection, the animals spread the agent into the environment by faecal shedding, where it can act as a source of infection for other animals. Young animals are the most susceptible to infection [5]. According to European veterinary legislation, animals intended for transport across different regions or countries must undergo quarantine lasting at least 30 days with respect to major epizootic and notifiable diseases, such as bluetongue, bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, and foot and mouth disease [6]. Paratuberculosis does not belong to the above mentioned group and the examination of imported ruminants therefore depends on the preference of the owner of the receiving farm. In addition, due to economic constraints, the belief that
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