Distribution of Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacteria in Environmental Samples from a Slaughterhouse and in Raw and Processed Meats

Shitaye J.E., Horváthová A., Bartošová L., Morávková M., Kaevska M., Donnelly N., Pavlík I. (2009): Distribution of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria in environmental samples from a slaughterhouse and in raw and processed meats. Czech J. Food Sci., 27: 194–202. The notification of all cases of diagnosed bovine tuberculosis is a statutory requirement, while the same is not true for other mycobacterial infections. Thus, the establishment of the true incidence of infection with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is difficult. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of NTM in environmental samples from a pig slaughterhouse and from raw and processed meat samples collected from supermarkets and butchers. Three species of mycobacteria (M. chelonae, M. kansasii, and M. intermedium) were detected in 8.0% of the environmental samples from a pig slaughterhouse and in 9.3% of raw and 7.7% of processed meat, respectively. The isolation of a single NTM species from these samples is a disturbing finding and means that raw meat may be a potential pathway for the transmission of NTM infections to humans.