Some published reports suggest that M. paratuberculosis can survive standard commercial pasteurization while others suggest it can not. Thermal tolerance curves indicate that M. paratuberculosis is comparable in heat resistance to M. avium and far more heat resistant than Listeria , another facultative intracellular bacterium that is found in raw milk. Continued refrigeration up to 15 weeks did not result in further decline in the number of M. paratuberculosis . Counts of living bacteria declined precipitously with greater than 1 log decrease within 5 days. Recent work in Australia, however, indicates that UV light had minimal effect on M. paratuberculosis viability in soil spiked with the bacteria.
Mycobacteria are notorious for their resistance to antibiotics that kill most other bacteria.
Only a select few antibiotics can be used to treat mycobacterial infections effectively and in most cases the course of therapy is weeks to months. M. paratuberculosis , like its close relative M. avium , is even resistant to antibiotics that normally are efficacious against M. tuberculosis , the cause of tuberculosis. Antimicrobial therapy for Johne's disease is not often attempted, as the cost of the drugs for these large animals and the duration of treatment required make it cost-prohibitive for livestock. M. paratuberculosis , like other mycobacteria, are resistant to common disinfectants. However, phenolic and cresylic disinfectants are effective.