Investigation of the prevalence of Neospora caninum in traditional cheeses produced from the milk of ruminants in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province by molecular method

Subject Areas : Food Hygiene

Danial Abbasi tadi ¹ , Ebrahim Rahimi ²

1 - DVM Graduate in Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
2 - Professor, Department of Food Hygiene, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.

Received: 2022-12-19 Accepted : 2023-02-07 Published : 2022-11-22

Keywords: Nested-PCR, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Neospora caninum, local cheese,

Abstract :

Cheese isamong ther dairy products and is a suitable environment for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. One of these pathogens, Neospora caninum, causes abortion in cows. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of N. caninum in traditional cheeses produced from ruminant milk using molecular method. In this study, 86 traditional cheese samples consisting 42 cow cheese, 20 sheep cheese, 12 goat cheese, and 12 sheep cheese ripened in brine were randomly collected from dairy herds in Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari provinces. The samples were transferred to the laboratory in sterile conditions next to ice an, and Nested-PCR technique was used on Nc5 gene for molecular analysis. The results showed that 9.3% (8/86) of the samples were contaminated with N. caninum. The highest contamination (12.5%) was found in cow milk cheese samples. No contamination was observed in traditional cheeses produced from goat milk or sheep brined cheese. The comparison of contamination levels in different cheeses showed no significant difference between the groups. Since milk and dairy products have a high place in the human food basket; therefore, the healthiness of these foods is crucial.

References:

Alipour, M., Rahimi, E. and Shakerian, A. )2020(. Investigating the prevalence of Neospora caninum in ruminant milk by molecular method. Scientific Journal of Veterinary Microbiology, 15, 101-110.

• Anderson, M.L., Blanchard, P.C., Barr, B., Dubey, J., Hoffman, R. and Conrad, P.A. )1991(. Neospora-like protozoan infection as a major cause of abortion in California dairy cattle. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 198, 241-244.


• Anvari, D., Saberi, R., Sharif, M., Sarvi, S., Hosseini, S.A., Moosazadeh, M., et al. )2020(. Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection in dog population worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Parasitologica, 65, 273-290.


• Ayazi, N., Heidarzadi, M. A., Kohneh Poushi, M., Karami, M., Sabzibalkhkanlo, A. and Gorgin Karaji, K. )2022(. Investigating the amount of microbial contamination of pasteurized milk in Kermanshah city with coliform and the total number of bacteria. Journal of Alternative Veterinary Medicine, 5, 702-709.


• Barry, R., Nissly, R.H., Feria, W., Thirumalapura, N., Tewari, D., Jayarao, B.M. et al. )2019(. A probe-based real-time PCR assay for the detection of Neospora caninum in clinical samples from cattle. Veterinary Parasitology, 269, 2-6.


• Binaei, M., Changizi, E. And Staji, H. )2021(. A serological study of Neospora caninum infection in dairy cattle in Semnan province, Iran. Journal of Veterinary Research, 76, 1-7.


• Ciuca, L., Borriello, G., Bosco, A., D’andrea, L., Cringoli, G., Ciaramella, P. et al. (2020(. Seroprevalence and clinical outcomes of Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii and Besnoitia besnoiti infections in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Animals, 10, 532.


• Dos Santos, E.O., Klain, V.F., Manrique, S.B., Roman, I.J., Dos Santos, H.F., Sangioni, L.A., et al. )2022(. The influence of landscape structure on the occurrence of Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Sarcocystis spp. in free-living neotropical primates. Acta Parasitologica, 1-17.


• Duarte, P.O., Oshiro, L.M., Zimmermann, N.P., Csordas, B.G., Dourado, D.M., Barros, J.C. )2020(. Serological and molecular detection of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in human umbilical cord blood and placental tissue samples. Scientific Reports, 10, 1-8.


• Fereig, R.M., Abdelbaky, H.H., Mazeed, A.M., El-Alfy, E.-S., Saleh, S., Omar, M.A. et al. )2022(. Prevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and DNA in raw milk of various ruminants in Egypt. Pathogens, 11, 1305.


• Frössling, J., Uggla, A. And Björkman, C. )2005(. Prevalence and transmission of Neospora caninum within infected Swedish dairy herds. Veterinary Parasitology, 128, 209-218.


• Gharekhani, J., Yakhchali, M. And Heidari, R. )2022(. Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of Neospora caninum in various hosts from Iran. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 80, 101737.


• Hadadi, M., Sherafati, R., Delavari, M., Arbabi, M., Gilasi, H. and Abed, A. )2018(. Evaluation of anti-Neospora caninum antibody presence in cow's milk in Kashan. KAUMS Journal (FEYZ), 22, 333-338.


• Haddad, J.P.A., Dohoo, I.R. and Vanleewen, J.A. )2005(. A review of Neospora caninum in dairy and beef cattle—a Canadian perspective. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 46, 230.


• Ibrahim, H.M., Abdel-Rahman, A.A. and Bishr, N.M. )2021(. Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM antibodies among buffaloes and cattle from Menoufia Province, Egypt. Journal of Parasitic Diseases, 45, 952-958.


• Japa, O., Nuangmek, A., Prakhammin, K. and Flynn, R.J. )­2019(. Prevalence of vertically transmitted Neospora caninum amongst beef cattle in Phayao, Thailand. Parasitology International, 70, 98-101.


• Kornacka, A., Cybulska, A., Popiołek, M., Kuśmierek, N. and Moskwa, B. )­2018(. Survey of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. Veterinary Parasitology, 262, 47-50.


• Li, L., Wang, X.-C., Gong, P.-T., Zhang, N., Zhang, X., Li, S. et al. )2020(. ROS-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation participates in the response against Neospora caninum infection. Parasites and Vectors, 13, 1-17.


• Morovati, H. and Noaman, V. )­2017(. Detection of Neospora caninum antibodies in commercial fetal bovine serum (FBS) by ELISA. Veterinary Researches and Biological Products, 30, 201-205.


• Pazzola, M., Stocco, G., Dettori, M.L., Bittante, G. and Vacca, G.M. )2019(. Effect of goat milk composition on cheesemaking traits and daily cheese production. Journal of Dairy Science, 102, 3947-3955.


• Regidor-Cerrillo, J., Horcajo, P., Ceglie, L., Schiavon, E., Ortega-Mora, L.M. and Natale, A. )2020(. Genetic characterization of Neospora caninum from Northern Italian cattle reveals high diversity in European N. caninum populations. Parasitology Research, 119, 1353-1362.


• Salehi, N., Haddadzadeh, H., Ashrafihelan, J., Shayan, P. and Sadrebazzaz, A. )2009(. Molecular and pathological study of bovine aborted fetuses and placenta from Neospora caninum infected dairy cattle. Iranian Journal of Parasitology, 4, 40-51.


• Taheri Lak, K., Sadraei, J. and Dalimi, A. )2017(. Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum in milk samples from dairy farms in the Shahriyar. Veterinary Researches and Biological Products, 30, 142-146.


• Tian, A.-L., Elsheikha, H.M., Zhou, D.-H., Wu, Y.-D., Chen, M.-X., Wang, M. et al. )­2018(. A novel recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for the rapid isothermal detection of Neospora caninum in aborted bovine fetuses. Veterinary Parasitology, 258, 24-29.