This study was performed to verify the safety of raw ovine milk and its role as vehicle of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) transmission. Milk samples from 697 randomly chosen adult sheep, reared in 17 dairy flocks situated in central Italy, were examined by combining Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) staining, bacteriological culture (BC) and indirect ELISA test. The milk ELISA was able to identify 70% of MAP infected ovine dairy farms. MAP infection was confirmed in 24.3% and 21.6% of milk ELISA positive samples (n=37) by ZN staining and BC, respectively. A fair (k=0.43) and slight (k=0.33) agreement were observed between ELISA–ZN and ELISA–BC, respectively. The presence of MAP in raw ovine milk produced in central Italy proved the risk of potential transmission to humans through consumption of milk and cheese manufactured from unpasteurised milk.
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis as an emergent pathogen in raw ovine milk produced in central Italy.
ATTILI, Annarita;PREZIUSO, Silvia;CUTERI, Vincenzo
2013-01-01
Abstract
This study was performed to verify the safety of raw ovine milk and its role as vehicle of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) transmission. Milk samples from 697 randomly chosen adult sheep, reared in 17 dairy flocks situated in central Italy, were examined by combining Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) staining, bacteriological culture (BC) and indirect ELISA test. The milk ELISA was able to identify 70% of MAP infected ovine dairy farms. MAP infection was confirmed in 24.3% and 21.6% of milk ELISA positive samples (n=37) by ZN staining and BC, respectively. A fair (k=0.43) and slight (k=0.33) agreement were observed between ELISA–ZN and ELISA–BC, respectively. The presence of MAP in raw ovine milk produced in central Italy proved the risk of potential transmission to humans through consumption of milk and cheese manufactured from unpasteurised milk.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
