Personalized and Precision Medicine Journal

Abstract Background: Campylobacter, a zoonotic pathogen, is the primary bacterial agent responsible for gastrointestinal (GI) infections in humans. Domestic animals, including cattle, are reservoirs of this bacterium, and can be one of the main sources of infection transmission to humans. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Campylobacter species using a multiplex PCR assay in cattle in the Gorgan province.
Materials and Methods: A total of 200 fecal samples were collected from healthy dairy cattle and genus and species were identified using multiplex PCR.
Results: The frequency of the genus Campylobacter in 200 samples in our study was 17.5% (35 cases), C. jejuni and C. coli species were not identified in these 35 cases.
Conclusion: Isolating Campylobacter from animal fecal samples is a challenging process, but this study showed that Campylobacter contamination was relatively high in cattle in the Gorgan province, and its transmission to humans through meat consumption must be monitored.

Abstract One of the biggest issues facing Muslim nations like Iran is food safety, namely the contamination of halal and non-halal meats. The adulteration will result in composite items that may not be visibly discernible to consumers, thereby leading to many social and health issues. The availability of a detection technology capable of distinguishing between halal and non-halal meats in processed meals is crucial, particularly for use in small-scale labs. This work aimed to create and improve species-specific primers to differentiate between halal and non-halal meats in processed meals, employing NADH Dehydrogenase and ATP Synthase genes via simplex and multiplex PCR experiments. The findings indicated that DNA from processed beef, poultry, and pig could be effectively amplified with the NADH Dehydrogenase and ATP Synthase primers used in this work. The amplicon bands generated were clearly visible and aligned with the targeted size in both simplex and multiplex PCR testing, in comparison to primers from previous studies. This study's drawback was the detection of non-specific bands in bovine NADH Dehydrogenase and pig ATP Synthase primers; nonetheless, the presence of these non-specific bands was acceptable as the primary targeted band remained clearly apparent. The existence of these primers is anticipated to enhance the efficacy of halal food authentication, particularly in small-scale labs located in rural regions of Iran.