Johne's And Crohn's: Potential Link And Mycobacterial Hypothesis

The document from 1987 reviews the potential link between Crohn's disease in humans and Johne's disease in ruminants, focusing on the hypothesis that both may be caused by mycobacteria. Kenton L. Morgan highlights the difficulty in isolating mycobacteria from Crohn's patients and the similarities in disease progression, including a long incubation period and the presence of subclinical carriers. He suggests that Crohn's disease might result from an infection acquired in infancy, with symptoms emerging in young adulthood. The paper emphasizes the need for further research, such as examining feces from infants for acid-fast bacilli and replicating studies that induced Johne's-like lesions in goats. Additionally, the document mentions a survey on the use of minoxidil for male baldness, indicating that its effectiveness for androgenic alopecia is still uncertain.