title: Presence of Pathogenic Rickettsiae and Protozoan in Samples of Raw Milk from Cows, Goats, and Sheep.
abstract: The aim of the present work was to determine the presence of various rickettsiae and protozoan in raw milk and the assessment the potential, milk-borne route in the spread of selected zoonotic pathogens.
  
  
  
  A total of 119 raw milk samples collected randomly from 63 cows, 29 goats, and 27 sheep bred on 34 farms situated on eight communities in eastern Poland were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the presence of pathogenic rickettsiae (Coxiella burnetii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Rickettsia spp.) and protozoan (Toxoplasma gondii).
  
  
  
  The only prevalent pathogen was T. gondii, which was found in 10 samples of cow milk (15.9%), in one sample of goat milk (3.4%), and in one sample of sheep milk (3.7%). One sample of cow milk was positive for C. burnetii; however, the sequence analysis did not confirm any species of Coxiella or Coxiella-like organisms, but showed 100% homology to Psychrobacter alimentarius. None of the examined samples showed the presence of A. phagocytophilum or Rickettsia spp.
  
  
  
  The results of this study suggest a potential hazard of milk-borne Toxoplasma infection, mostly by consumption of raw cow milk. The milk-borne spread seems to be limited or nonsignificant in the case of C. burnetii, A. phagocytophilum, and Rickettsia spp. The false-positive sample for Coxiella spp. suggests that some care should be taken in the interpretation of the results obtained by using the PCR method.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health , Lublin, Poland .
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cisak
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health , Lublin, Poland .
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zając
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute , Pulawy, Poland .
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sroka
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health , Lublin, Poland .
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawczyn
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health , Lublin, Poland .
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kloc
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health , Lublin, Poland .
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dutkiewicz
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health , Lublin, Poland .
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wójcik-Fatla
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000302:isolation & purification; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D016266:Food Parasitology; D006041:Goats / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D011044:Poland; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Coxiella burnetii; PCR; Psychrobacter alimentarius; Rickettsia spp; Toxoplasma gondii; raw milk