title: Helicobacteraceae in Bulk Tank Milk of Dairy Herds from Northern Italy.
abstract: Helicobacter pylori is responsible for gastritis and gastric adenocarcinoma in humans, but the routes of transmission of this bacterium have not been clearly defined. Few studies led to supposing that H. pylori could be transmitted through raw milk, and no one investigated the presence of other Helicobacteraceae in milk. In the current work, the presence of Helicobacteraceae was investigated in the bulk tank milk of dairy cattle herds located in northern Italy both by direct plating onto H. pylori selective medium and by screening PCR for Helicobacteraceae, followed by specific PCRs for H. pylori, Wolinella spp., and "Candidatus Helicobacter bovis." Three out of 163 bulk milk samples tested positive for Helicobacteraceae, but not for the subsequent PCRs. H. pylori was not isolated in any case. However, given similar growth conditions, Arcobacter butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, and A. skirrowii were recovered. In conclusion, the prevalence of Helicobacteraceae in raw milk was negligible (1.8%), and H. pylori was not identified in any of the positive samples, suggesting that, at least in the farming conditions of the investigated area, bovine milk does not represent a potential source of infection.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.affiliation: Mouse and Animal Pathology Laboratory, Filarete Foundation, 20139 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Recordati
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borella
authors.affiliation: Genomics Platform, Parco Tecnologico Padano, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gualdi
authors.affiliation: Mouse and Animal Pathology Laboratory, Filarete Foundation, 20139 Milan, Italy ; Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scanziani
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Selvatico
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*