Hi everyone,
I didn't see a reply to the query about the possible role of bacteria in
Crohn's disease. I'm not an expert in this, but have torn something from
Australian Doctor (17 May 1996) (local medical news-rag) about it.

Professor John Hernon-Smith, professor of surgery at St George's Medical
School in London has conducted research suggesting that Mycobacterium
paratuberculosis may be responsible for most cases of Crohn's disease in
people with an inherited or acquired susceptibility. Apparently a 1994
survey in S.W. England found 1% of dairy herds affected by the bacteria. The
research group say that this bacteria is not completely destroyed by
pasteurisation.

On the other hand, the department of health has not endorsed the advice to
avoid pasteurised milk. And, a Professor Richard Sartor, assistant professor
of medicine at the University of North Carolina, says this bacteria only
affected a small subset of patients.

So, sounds like the jury is still out on this. I wonder about this bacteria
in other countries?

Lisa Amir
GP / LC in Melbourne, Australia where Spring has arrived, and someone wrote
to the local paper saying they had seen the first blowfly for the season!