How Human Brucellosis Incidence in Urban Kampala Can Be Reduced Most Efficiently? A Stochastic Risk Assessment of Informally-Marketed Milk

In Kampala, Uganda, studies have shown a significant incidence of human brucellosis. A stochastic risk assessment involving two field surveys (cattle farms and milk shops) and a medical record survey was conducted to assess the risk of human brucellosis infection through consumption of informally marketed raw milk potentially infected with Brucella abortus in Kampala and to identify the best control options.In the cattle farm survey, sera of 425 cows in 177 herds in the Kampala economic zone were sampled and tested for brucellosis using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CELISA). Farmers were interviewed for dairy information. In the milk shop surveys, 135 milk sellers in the urban areas were interviewed and 117 milk samples were collected and tested using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IELISA). A medical record survey was conducted in Mulago National Referral Hospital for serological test results. A risk model was developed synthesizing data from these three surveys. Possible control options were prepared based on the model and the reduction of risk was simulated for each scenario. Overall, 12.6% (6.8-18.9: 90%CI) of informally marketed milk in urban Kampala was contaminated with B.abortus at purchase and the annual incidence rate was estimated to be 5.8 (90% CI: 5.3-6.2) per 10,000 people. The best control option would be the construction of a milk boiling centre either in Mbarara, the largest source of milk, or in peri-urban Kampala and to ensure that milk traders always sell milk to the boiling centre; 90% success in enforcing these two options would reduce risk by 47.4% (21.6-70.1: 90%CI) and 82.0% (71.0-89.0: 90%CI), respectively.This study quantifies the risk of human brucellosis infection through informally marketed milk and estimates the incidence rate in Kampala for the first time; risk-based mitigation strategies are outlined to assist in developing policy

Sviluppo di un metodo immunoenzimatico quantitativo ultrasensibile per la determinazione dell\u2019Aflatossina M1 nel latte

none5noneM. Magliulo; M. Mirasoli; R. Lelli; O. Portanti; A. RodaM. Magliulo; M. Mirasoli; R. Lelli; O. Portanti; A. Rod

Experimental contamination of Chamelea gallina with murine Norovirus and effectiveness of depuration

Human Norovirus has been reported as the major non-bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis due to the consumption of contaminated bivalve mollusks. The European legislation established microbiological criteria only for bacteria (Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli), while no viruses have still been considered. In this study, samples of Chamelea gallina were harvested along the Central Adriatic coasts (Italy) and artificially contaminated with Murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) up to a final concentration of 103 TCID50/ml in water. They were subject to a depuration process in a closed-circuit system using both ozone and ultraviolet light. Four experimental trials (100 specimens/trial) were performed and, at the end of depuration, the digestive glands of mollusks were examined by means of two methods – namely, RT-PCR and tissue culture. The results of RT-PCR ranged from 103.17 to 104.60 TCID50/ml, and the constant presence of MNV-1 was confirmed by the tissue culture as well. In conclusion, no significant viral reduction was obtained, but the contaminated bivalve mollusks remained infectious until the end of the depuration treatment. The proper cooking of live bivalve mollusks could be considered the most important preventive measure against this sanitary risk

Bluetongue laboratory diagnosis: a ring test to evaluate serological results using a competitive ELISA kit

The occurrence of bluetongue (BT) in Italy prompted an increase in disease surveillance. Thus a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) to detect immunoglobulins to BT virus (BTV) was developed and distributed amongst 27 laboratories comprising the Italian veterinary diagnostic laboratories network to screen field sera. This ring test enabled comparison of the results and the evaluation of the reproducibility of the method. The c-ELISA developed by the National Reference Centre for Exotic Diseases (c-ELISA-IZSA&M) was compared also against a commercially available c-ELISA. In addition, results obtained by the Centre of Athens Veterinary Institutions are presented