Poor reporting of Johne's disease (JD) in India is mainly due to lack of diagnostic kits. Information on prevalence of JD in domestic ruminants was extracted from literature, compiled and presented here. Part A reports prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in domestic livestock in North India, using sensitive culture, ELISA kit and PCR tests and includes the work on Johne's disease by us (1985 - 2007), at Central Institute for Research on Goats (CIRG). Part B includes works of other Indian workers from 1940. Retrospective information (Part A and B), was collected from published works and less accessible records like thesis/dissertation, project reports and annual reports of institutes. Published data includes serum samples submitted to Microbiology lab (CIRG), for screening of suspected cattle (26) and buffaloes (15), from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP and on 69 samples from prospective cattle bulls (24, Sahiwal and Hariana breed) and Buffalo bulls (45 Murrah breed), earmarked for purchase from Rohtak district of Hariana from farmer's herds. These animals were screened using indigenous serum ELISA kit. Using Milk culture the presence of MAP in milk of lactating goats and cows (including commercial milk and milk products) in South UP and Punjab was 5.0-91.6%, Using milk ELISA kit, prevalence was 37.3-54.7% and 18.1-88.4%, in goats and dairy cattle, respectively from South UP and Punjab. Sero-prevalence of MAP on the basis of serum ELISA kit was 8.5-65.2%, 11.1-61.9%, 17.3-42.6% and 8.6-46.7% in goats, sheep, cattle and bulls and buffaloes, respectively in South UP, West UP, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu states of country. Prevalence on the basis of fecal culture, was 52.1-80.0%, 13,3-37.5%, 28.3-96.1%, 23.8% and a case report in goats, sheep, cattle, blue bulls and Hog deer, respectively in South UP, Punjab and North India. On the basis of tissues culture in South UP, recorded presence of MAP was 22.2-65.2%, 42.3-58.9% and 48.0% in goats, sheep and buffaloes, respectively. Using IS900 PCR, the presence of MAP in different samples and animal species was recorded..By using colony PCR, the DNA from different sources was characterized as MAP. Vohra (2005), reported 37.9% prevalence of MAP in vaginal secretions by culture from post parturient farm goats in South UP. Singh (1998, reported 11.3% prevalence of MAP, by fecal culture, in 12 farms of goats in North India in 1998. The prevalence was highest in Jamunapari farm of Etawah (13.4%). Using microscopic examination of fecal samples of farm goats, variable prevalence has been reported by authors (10.6-82.6%) in South UP and North India. Microscopic examination of target tissues of farm young goats in South UP by Hajra (2003), recorded 31.0% (74) samples positive. In fecal samples of farm sheep, 10.4% animals were reported positive. Reported prevalence was 17.3-96.1% and 8.6-50.0% in cattle and buffaloes, respectively in North India. Part B: prevalence in cattle and buffaloes reported by other workers in India was 1.4-66.6% and 4.9-8.5%, respectively. Similarly in goats and sheep, reported prevalence of Johne's disease by other workers in India and Nepal was 2.0-14.1% and 9.7-24.0%, respectively.