Multiplex PCR standardization for Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli detection in bovine milk samples obtained from bulk tanks

• Grant number: 08/11362-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: July 01, 2009 - June 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Helio Langoni
• Grantee: Helio Langoni
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Milk quality has been a frequent concern issue in Brazil, where some problems still persist like low milk production, cattle genetic limitations, animal's inadequate nutrition, management problems, low production conditions in milk farms, labor's low quality and high mastitis prevalence in animals. Normative Instruction n. 51 elaborated by Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Supply started to be attended in July 2005 and is a technical group of rules for milk business, objecting the improvement of milk quality. Considering this, there is a demand for quick and high sensitivity and specificity diagnosis methods, with low cost and applicability for high number of milk samples' process. The aim of this study is to standardize the Multiplex PCR (mPCR) test for S. aureus, S. agalactiae and E. coli detection in bovine milk samples obtained from bulk tanks, and to evaluate this method as a possible tool to be used in milk quality control programs. For this study, 25 milk farms of different regions of Sao Paulo state will be visited. Farms need to have milking machine system, bulk tank and a minimum number of 50 lactating cows. Milk samples will be collected from bulk tanks for mPCR, microbiological culture, Somatic Cell Count and Total Bacterial Count. Individual milk samples from each animal's teat will be collected after the Tamis and CMT tests for microbiological culture. A quest will be answered by milkers and producers for evaluation of each farm's epidemiological characteristics and its relation with results obtained in each diagnosis test. (AU)