title: Survey on the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in ground beef from an industrial meat plant.
abstract: Paratuberculosis of ruminants is characterised by chronic enteritis but, at advanced stages of the disease, a systemic dissemination of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in tissues and organs can occur. MAP has been recovered from lymph nodes and muscles of clinical and sub-clinical cows. In most countries, dairy and beef cattle infected with paratuberculosis are routinely sent to slaughter and the consumption of their meat could be a possible route of human exposure to MAP. However, few studies on MAP in ground beef are currently available. During the period November 2013-March 2014 we carried out a survey on the ground beef produced in an industrial meat processing plant. One-hundred and forty samples of ground meat were analysed by IS900-qPCR and culture (VersaTrek System). The limit of detection (LOD) of qPCR was 630 MAP cells/g (107 CFU/g) while the LOD for culture was 170-230 MAP cells/g (62-115 CFU/g). No samples were positive by direct IS900 qPCR, while two samples were positive by liquid culture. Our data suggest that the presence of live MAP in raw minced meat is possible. In order to avoid exposure for humans through the consumption of contaminated meat, proper cooking of meat is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, National Reference Centre for Paratuberculosis, Strada Faggiola 1, Loc. Gariga-Podenzano (PC) 29027, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Savi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, National Reference Centre for Paratuberculosis, Strada Faggiola 1, Loc. Gariga-Podenzano (PC) 29027, Italy. Electronic address: matteo.ricchi@izsler.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricchi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, National Reference Centre for Paratuberculosis, Strada Faggiola 1, Loc. Gariga-Podenzano (PC) 29027, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cammi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, National Reference Centre for Paratuberculosis, Strada Faggiola 1, Loc. Gariga-Podenzano (PC) 29027, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garbarino
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, National Reference Centre for Paratuberculosis, Strada Faggiola 1, Loc. Gariga-Podenzano (PC) 29027, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per i Rischi Emergenti in Sicurezza Alimentare and Diagnostic Section of Parma, Via dei Mercati 5, Parma 43121, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pongolini
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, National Reference Centre for Paratuberculosis, Strada Faggiola 1, Loc. Gariga-Podenzano (PC) 29027, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arrigoni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D016927:Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial