title: Detection and genome characterization of bovine polyomaviruses in beef muscle and ground beef samples from Germany.
abstract: Polyomaviruses are small, non-enveloped, circular double-stranded DNA viruses. Some polyomaviruses can induce tumors and cancer under certain circumstances. The bovine polyomaviruses (BPyV) 1-3 have been only scarcely analyzed so far. It was hypothesized that the consumption of beef meat containing polyomaviruses could contribute to the development of cancer in humans. In order to assess the distribution of the BPyV genome in meat from Germany, 101 beef muscle samples and 10 ground beef samples were analyzed here. A specific sample preparation method combined with or without rolling circle amplification (RCA), and BPyV-specific PCRs were developed and applied. BPyV-1 DNA was detected in 1/101 (1%) samples from beef meat and in 2/10 (20%) ground beef samples. BPyV-2 DNA was detected in 3/10 (30%) ground beef samples, whereas BPyV-3 was not detected in the samples. Application of RCA did not increase the detection rate in ground beef samples. Sequence analysis of the PCR products indicated the presence of BPyV-1, BPyV-2a and BPyV-2b. The whole genome of a BPyV-1 strain from ground beef meat showed 97.8% sequence identity to the BPyV-1 reference strain and that of a BPyV-2a strain from ground beef meet showed 99.9% sequence identity to strain 2aS11. It can be concluded that BPyV genomes can be frequently detected in ground beef samples, although higher sample numbers should be investigated in future to confirm this finding. Further studies should focus on the infectivity, tumorigenicity and heat resistance of the contained viruses in order to assess the risk of cancer induction through consumption of BPyVs present in beef products.
authors: German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany; Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin, Department of Life Sciences and Technology, Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Luxemburger Str. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Donina
authors: D
authors: Gräfe
authors: Division 12 "Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Viruses Affecting Immunocompromised Patients", Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Ehlers
authors: State Office for Consumer Protection Saxony-Anhalt, Department of Food Safety, Freiimfelder Str. 68, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors: Dietrich
authors: D
authors: Mäde
authors: German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Lüppo
authors: L
authors: Ellerbroek
authors: Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin, Department of Life Sciences and Technology, Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Luxemburger Str. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Tassilo
authors: T
authors: Seidler
authors: German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Reimar.Johne@bfr.bund.de.
authors: Reimar
authors: R
authors: Johne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Beef meat; Bovine polyomavirus; Genome characterization; PCR detection; Tumor induction