Presence of Brucella spp. in Milk and Dairy Products: A Comprehensive Review and Its Perspectives

Abstract

Consuming raw milk and milk-based products that have not been produced under strict control conditions can cause brucellosis, a highly contagious zoonotic disease. It is a significant global public health concern, particularly in regions with poor management and limited resources, such as Latin America, North and East Africa, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia. The study aims to summarize the occurrence of human brucellosis linked to milk and milk products and the presence of Brucella species in dairy foods. To achieve this goal, a meta-analysis was conducted on 69 studies ranging from 2001 to 2022, which were categorized into two groups: the incidence of Brucella species in milk and milk products and the prevalence of human brucellosis resulting from the consumption of contaminated milk. The following milk and milk products showed the highest incidence of Brucella species: cow milk (1.86%–81.7%), buffalo milk (10.4%–61.67%), camel milk (0%–24%), goat milk (0%–88.8%), and cheese (0%–39.1%). Consuming unpasteurized milk and milk products has been identified as the leading cause of human brucellosis, with incidence rates varying from 33.9% to 100%. Several human brucellosis cases have been linked to consuming raw milk and cheese in Spain, Israel, and other countries. Various serological techniques are employed to detect Brucella-specific antibodies in milk. The milk ring test (MRT) and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) are the two most widely utilized methods for detecting these antibodies in milk. Recently developed dual biosensors are a powerful approach for early diagnosis of Brucella from milk. Real-time PCR can rapidly detect organisms, reducing the risk of lab contamination and false positive results. To prevent and control brucellosis, essential steps include proper pasteurization of milk and dairy products, using the milk ring test (MRT) to detect Brucella in individual and bulk milk, immunization, education, and increasing public awareness of the disease. The consumption of raw milk and milk-made products that are not produced under strictly controlled conditions poses a significant risk to human health, mainly due to the high incidence of Brucella contamination. Therefore, ensuring strict control measures in producing milk and milk-made products is crucial to preventing the spread of this disease and safeguarding human health.

Análise Parasitológica Em Acelgas Comercializadas Em Duas Cidades Do Recôncavo Da Bahia

“…A fabricação de queijos a partir de leite cru, torna o alimento suscetível a contaminação microbiológica, visto que o tratamento térmico elimina grande parte dos microrganismos patogênicos (ISLAM, 2023;JAY, 2005). Apesar da proibição da produção e venda de queijos frescos a partir de leite cru no Brasil (BRASIL, 2020), pesquisas revelaram que este é um hábito comum, especialmente para produtos comercializados de maneira informal, trazendo um alerta, especialmente em função da preferência de alguns consumidores por queijos de leite cru, tornando-os suscetíveis à diversas toxiinfecções alimentares (SILVA & COSTA, 2020).…”

Epidemiology of Brucellosis in Small Ruminants of Rural and Peri-Urban Areas of Multan, Pakistan

“…In small ruminants, disease is characterized by abortion in third trimester, birth of immature kids/lambs, retention of fetal membranes, and stillbirth in female animals, whereas in males, it is manifested in the form of orchitis and infertility [ 13 ]. In endemic regions, cross-transmission of disease between humans and different animal species such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and pigs takes place by direct contact with blood, uterine discharge, and placenta of infected animals or by eating infected raw animal products, particularly unpasteurized milk and cheese [ 14 ]. In human beings, B. melitensis may cause severe infection that is usually characterized by fatigue, undulant fever, malaise, and osteomyelitis [ 15 , 16 ].…”