title: Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in samples of raw milk taken randomly from cows, goats and sheep in eastern Poland.
abstract: A total of 119 unpasteurized milk samples taken from 63 cows, 29 goats and 27 sheep bred on 8 farms situated on the territory of the Lublin province (eastern Poland), an area of risk of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), were examined for the presence of RNA of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) by the nested RT-PCR method. Milk samples were also tested for the presence of anti-TBEV antibodies by ELISA test. By RT-PCR, the greatest prevalence of TBE virus was found in the milk of sheep (22.2%), followed by milk of goats (20.7%) and cows (11.1%). By ELISA, the greatest prevalence of anti- TBEV antibodies was found also in the milk of sheep (14.8%), followed by milk of cows (3.2%) and goats (0%). The results suggest a potential risk of infection with TBEV by drinking raw milk on endemic areas of TBE, and indicate a need for milk pasteurization before consumption.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Zoonotic Diseases, Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin, Poland. ewac@galen.imw.lublin.pl
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cisak
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wójcik-Fatla
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zając
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sroka
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buczek
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dutkiewicz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D008892:Milk / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral