Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for Australians
Abstract Objective: Toxoplasmosis may follow consumption of undercooked meat containing Toxoplasma gondii cysts. Lamb is considered to pose the highest risk for contamination across meats. Red meat is often served undercooked, yet there are no current data on T. gondii contamination of Australian so...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12955 |
| _version_ | 1797715541410971648 |
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| author | Abby C. Dawson Liam M. Ashander Binoy Appukuttan Richard J. Woodman Jitender P. Dubey Harriet Whiley Justine R. Smith |
| author_facet | Abby C. Dawson Liam M. Ashander Binoy Appukuttan Richard J. Woodman Jitender P. Dubey Harriet Whiley Justine R. Smith |
| author_sort | Abby C. Dawson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: Toxoplasmosis may follow consumption of undercooked meat containing Toxoplasma gondii cysts. Lamb is considered to pose the highest risk for contamination across meats. Red meat is often served undercooked, yet there are no current data on T. gondii contamination of Australian sourced and retailed lamb. We sought to address this gap in public health knowledge. Methods: Lamb mincemeat was purchased at the supermarket counter three times weekly for six months. T. gondii was detected by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of DNA extracted from the meat following homogenisation. Purchases were also tested for common foodborne bacterial pathogens. Results: Conservative interpretation of PCR testing (i.e. parasite DNA detected in three of four tests) gave a probability of 43% (95% confidence interval, 32%–54%) that lamb mincemeat was contaminated with T. gondii. None of the purchases were contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella species or S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, indicating sanitary meat processing. Conclusions: Australian lamb is commonly contaminated with T. gondii. Future studies should be directed at testing a range of red meats and meat cuts. Implications for public health: Consuming undercooked Australian lamb has potential to result in toxoplasmosis. There may be value in health education around this risk. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:08:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dd270e9197e74c2388448e3310bf26a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:08:17Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-dd270e9197e74c2388448e3310bf26a72023-09-02T19:23:17ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052020-02-01441495210.1111/1753-6405.12955Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for AustraliansAbby C. Dawson0Liam M. Ashander1Binoy Appukuttan2Richard J. Woodman3Jitender P. Dubey4Harriet Whiley5Justine R. Smith6College of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University South AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University South AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University South AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University South AustraliaAnimal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, United States Department of AgricultureCollege of Science and Engineering Flinders University South AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University South AustraliaAbstract Objective: Toxoplasmosis may follow consumption of undercooked meat containing Toxoplasma gondii cysts. Lamb is considered to pose the highest risk for contamination across meats. Red meat is often served undercooked, yet there are no current data on T. gondii contamination of Australian sourced and retailed lamb. We sought to address this gap in public health knowledge. Methods: Lamb mincemeat was purchased at the supermarket counter three times weekly for six months. T. gondii was detected by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of DNA extracted from the meat following homogenisation. Purchases were also tested for common foodborne bacterial pathogens. Results: Conservative interpretation of PCR testing (i.e. parasite DNA detected in three of four tests) gave a probability of 43% (95% confidence interval, 32%–54%) that lamb mincemeat was contaminated with T. gondii. None of the purchases were contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella species or S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, indicating sanitary meat processing. Conclusions: Australian lamb is commonly contaminated with T. gondii. Future studies should be directed at testing a range of red meats and meat cuts. Implications for public health: Consuming undercooked Australian lamb has potential to result in toxoplasmosis. There may be value in health education around this risk.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12955ToxoplasmameatlambPCR |
| spellingShingle | Abby C. Dawson Liam M. Ashander Binoy Appukuttan Richard J. Woodman Jitender P. Dubey Harriet Whiley Justine R. Smith Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for Australians Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health Toxoplasma meat lamb PCR |
| title | Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for Australians |
| title_full | Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for Australians |
| title_fullStr | Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for Australians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for Australians |
| title_short | Lamb as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for Australians |
| title_sort | lamb as a potential source of toxoplasma gondii infection for australians |
| topic | Toxoplasma meat lamb PCR |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12955 |
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