COST ACTION 920

Inventory of QMRA Studies in Europe


Data sheet

Pathogen

 Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

Country or region

Netherlands

Transmission route

 From

 cow

To

 consumer

Specific product(s)

 pasteurized milk

End-point(s)

 exposure


Reports or publications

Bibliographic reference

Nauta, M.J. and Van der Giessen, J.W.B., 1998. Human exposure to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis via pasteurised milk: A modelling approach. The Veterinary Record 143: 293-296.

Abstract

Paratuberculosis is an important disease in cattle, caused by infection with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.  It has been suggested that this bacterium may also play a role in the etiology of Crohn’s disease in humans. As M. paratuberulosis is shed in the milk and may be able to survive pasteurisation, humans can be exposed to it by the consumption of pasteurised milk. This exposure is analysed by using a modelling approach, as this may allow an a priori evaluation of the effects of intervention measures somewhere in the transmission route. Based on literature data and expert opinion we first derive a point estimate of the exposure level of about 0.5 cfu/l pasteurised milk in The Netherlands, mainly caused by the milk of clinically affected animals. Additionally, we stress the need for quantitative data on the variation in quantities like the shedding rates of M. paratuberculosis in faeces and milk, and the levels of faecal contamination of milk. We show that such data are essential to properly perform an exposure analysis, and may even lead to a hundred-fold increase of the estimated median level of exposure.

Status

 published

Availability

 


Project group

Institute

Microbiological Laboratory for Health Protection, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands

Contact person

M. J. Nauta; maarten.nauta@rivm.nl

Partners