Detection of viable Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in powdered infant formula by phage-PCR and confirmed by culture

Botsaris, G; Swift, B M C; Slana, I; Liapi, M; Christodoulou, M; Hatzitofi, M; Christodoulou, V; Rees, C E

doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.09.011

Authors

G Botsaris

B M C Swift

I Slana

M Liapi

M Christodoulou

M Hatzitofi

V Christodoulou

C E Rees

Abstract

Surveys from different parts of the world have reported that viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) can be cultured from approximately 2% of samples of retail pasteurised milk samples. Pasteurised milk is used for the production of powdered infant formula (PIF) and therefore there is a concern that MAP may also be present in these products. Several studies have previously reported the detection of MAP in PIF using PCR-based assays. However, culture-based surveys of PIF have not detected viable MAP. Here we describe a phage amplification assay coupled with PCR (page-PCR) that can rapidly detect viable MAP in PIF. The results of a small survey showed that the phage-PCR assay detected viable MAP in 13% (4/32) of PIF samples. Culture detected viable MAP in 9% (3/32) PIF samples, all of which were also phage-PCR positive. Direct IS900 PCR detected MAP DNA in 22% (7/32) of PIF samples. The presence of viable MAP in PIF indicates that MAP either survived PIF manufacturing or that post-production contamination occurred. Irrespective of the route of MAP contamination, the presence of viable MAP in PIF is a potential public health concern.

Citation

Botsaris, G., Swift, B. M. C., Slana, I., Liapi, M., Christodoulou, M., Hatzitofi, M., …Rees, C. E. (2016). Detection of viable Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in powdered infant formula by phage-PCR and confirmed by culture. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 216, 91-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.09.011

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Sep 19, 2015
Publication Date	Jan 4, 2016
Deposit Date	Aug 14, 2018
Journal	International Journal of Food Microbiology
Print ISSN	0168-1605
Publisher	Elsevier
Volume	216
Pages	91-4
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.09.011
Public URL	https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/output/1398162