After having considered the country free from paratuberculosis for 3 decades, one clinical case of the disease in an imported cow was diagnosed in 1993. A stamping-out policy was applied and restrictions were put on the cowshed and pastures for up to three years. This case also initiated several actions from the authorities. Veterinarians in the field and at slaughterhouses were asked to increase the awareness of the disease and to report any suspicion of its presence. All animals that had been imported since 1980 were tested twice (serology and fecal culture) with an interval of at least 3 months. If an imported animal had been slaughtered a serological survey was performed in te herd. A survey in slaughterhouses was also initiated. Samples from the ileum and the ileocecal lymph nodes from adult cattle at emergency slaughter were taken and cultured. Up to now 1900 samples have been analyzed and only one has been positive for paratuberculosis. In all, 24 herds have been declared infected and stamped out. Tracing of the infection backwards and forwards has been carried out. The sources of infection have either been related to imports of animals (8 herds) or to a domestic chain of infection within the limousin breed (15 herds) which is likely to go back to imports of that breed in the 1970's. In one case the source of infection is still unknown.