Viral RNA detections of enteric pathogens from caprine raw milk in Central Italy

Introduction: During primary production, unpasteurized milk may be responsible for the transmission of several foodborne and zoonotic pathogens. Among these, viruses represent a public health concern. Methods: In this study, 383 raw caprine milk samples were collected from goats farmed at 6 sites (F1-F6) located in the L'Aquila Province (Abruzzo Region, Italy). Molecular assays, including real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), were performed to detect the RNA sequences of astrovirus (AstV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), norovirus genogroups I and II (NoV-GI and NoV-GII), and rotavirus (RV). Results: Results showed that 15.40% (59/383) of samples were positive for at least one pathogen, and 3.39% (13/383) co-detected AstV, HEV, and/or NoV-GI, with the highest frequency in samples collected from goats farmed at F5 and F6. Among the viruses investigated, HEV RNA was detected in samples from all farms, representing 7.57% (29/383), followed by AstV at 6.00% (23/383) and NoV-GI at 5.74% (22/383). Discussion: Although the majority of the viruses have been detected in faecal samples in previous studies, this study provides original data on their presence in unpasteurized caprine milk in Italy.