Prevalence of Brucella in raw milk: An example from Turkey

Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonotic infection affecting livestock and human beings. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Brucella in raw milk collected from a provincial center and central villages in the Central Anatolian region.

This cross-sectional study was completed between March and September of 2016. The sample size for research was calculated as 263 milk samples with the Epi Info 2000 program. Samples were tested with the milk ring test, Rose Bengal test, and standard Brucella tube agglutination test. Suspicious samples according to these tests were seeded on medium for observation.

In this study, 202 cow's milk samples collected from 14 central villages were researched for the presence of Brucella abortus, a Brucella species bacterium. According to the medium seeding results, 35 of 202 raw cow's milk samples (17.32%) were identified as suspicious.

The research investigated the prevalence of Brucella in milk samples collected from bovine farms used for consumption and production of raw milk products. The most significant infection route in our region is considered to be consumption of milk and milk products such as raw milk and fresh cheese. Especially in rural areas, households consuming their own produced milk are common. In regions with family-style milk and milk product production and consumption, interventional studies with the aim of improving knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to zoonotic diseases should not be neglected.