Presence of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies and Hepatitis E Virus in Raw Meat Products

Meat and meat products may be the source of various pathogenic and potentially pathogenic agents for humans. We ascertained the occurrence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, subsp. avium, and subsp. hominissuis, and hepatitis E virus in retail raw meat products. The DNA of at least one of the target M. avium subspecies was detected in 26 (29.2%) of 89 analyzed samples of meat products. Fourteen (15.7%), 1 (1.1%), and 17 (19.1%) samples contained the DNA of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, subsp. avium, and subsp. hominissuis, respectively. The number of mycobacterial cells per gram of meat products determined by real-time quantitative PCR ranged from 1.15 × 102 to 6.97 × 103. Mycobacterium chitae and Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum were isolated from three (3.4%) samples. Culture examination was not positive for any M. avium subspecies. Hepatitis E virus RNA was not detected in any of the samples.

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Effect of Sodium Chloride, Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate on the Infectivity of Hepatitis E Virus

Food and Environmental Virology ◽

10.1007/s12560-020-09440-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 350-354 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alexander Wolff ◽

Taras Günther ◽

Thiemo Albert ◽

Reimar Johne

Keyword(s):

Sodium Chloride ◽

Sodium Nitrite ◽

Foodborne Pathogens ◽

Sodium Nitrate ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Meat Products ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

High Salt ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Raw Meat

Abstract Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can cause acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. The zoonotic HEV genotype 3, which is highly prevalent in Europe, is mainly transmitted by consumption of raw meat and raw meat products produced from infected pigs or wild boars. High salt concentrations represent an important measure to preserve meat products and to inactivate foodborne pathogens. Here, an HEV preparation in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was subjected to different salt concentrations and the remaining infectivity was measured in a cell culture assay. Treatments with up to 20% sodium chloride for 24 h at 23 °C, with and without addition of 0.015% sodium nitrite or 0.03% sodium nitrate, did not lead to virus inactivation as compared to PBS only. Conditions usually applied for short-term and long-term fermented raw sausages were simulated by incubation at 22 °C for up to 6 days and at 16 °C for up to 8 weeks, respectively. Only 2% sodium chloride with 0.015% sodium nitrite showed a weak (< 1 log10), but significant, infectivity reduction after 2 and 4 days as compared to PBS only. Addition of 2% sodium chloride and 0.03% sodium nitrate showed a slight, but not significant, decrease in infectivity after 2 and 8 weeks as compared to PBS only. In conclusion, HEV is highly stable at high salt concentrations and at salt conditions usually applied to preserve raw meat products.

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Real-Time Quantitative PCR Detection of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies in Meat Products

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-10-332 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 74 (4) ◽

pp. 636-640 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

B. KLANICOVA ◽

I. SLANA ◽

H. VONDRUSKOVA ◽

M. KAEVSKA ◽

I. PAVLIK

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Quantitative Pcr ◽

Mycobacterium Avium ◽

General Public ◽

Meat Products ◽

Mycobacterium Avium Subsp ◽

Insertion Sequences ◽

Real Time Quantitative Pcr ◽

Qpcr Method ◽

Meat Samples

The aim of this work was to examine various purchased meat products and to find out if any traces of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium, M. avium subsp. hominissuis, and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis could be detected in these samples. Analysis of the meat products (raw, cooked, and fermented) was performed using a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for the detection of specific insertion sequences: duplex qPCR for the detection of IS900 specific for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and triplex qPCR for the detection of IS901 specific for Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium and IS1245 specific for M. avium subsp. hominissuis. Of the 77 analyzed meat samples, 17 (22%) were found to contain M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis DNA, 4 (5%) samples contained Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium DNA, and in 12 (16%) samples M. avium subsp. hominissuis DNA was detected. The concentration of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and M. avium subsp. hominissuis DNA in some meat products exceeded 104 genomes per g. Culture examination of these mycobacterial subspecies was negative. By analyzing a range of meat products, we have provided evidence to support the hypothesis that M. avium is present in everyday commodities sold to the general public

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