Comprehensive study on the molecular prevalence and seasonal and age distribution of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in raw milk and traditional dairy products

Abstract

Due to the high consumption rate of milk and dairy products, they should have a high microbial quality. Maycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberclosis is one of the emerging zoonotic bacteria with high economic importance. The present study was done to assess the prevalence of the MAP in different types of raw milk and traditional dairy samples. Seven-hundred and eighty-five raw milk and traditional dairy samples were collected. DNA was extracted using a DNA extraction kit. Detection of MAP was done using the IS900 nested-PCR method. Eighty-eight out of 785 (11.21%) raw milk and traditional dairy product samples harbored MAP. Prevalence of MAP in raw milk and traditional dairy samples were 12.38% and 8.84%, respectively. Raw buffalo (25%) milk samples had the highest prevalence of MAP, while raw donkey (6.66%) had the lowest. Traditional cheese (24%) samples had the highest prevalence of MAP, while traditional kashk (2.50%) had the lowest. Seasonal and age distributions were also observed for the prevalence of MAP. Raw milk and traditional dairy samples may be the sources of MAP transmission into the human population. Marked seasonality and age distribution were seen for the prevalence of MAP. Further studies are required to find more information about MAP infection in raw milk and traditional dairy products.