spp. Contamination in Artisanal Unpasteurized Dairy Products: An Emerging Foodborne Threat in Tunisia.

Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease transmitted to humans, predominantly by the consumption of contaminated raw milk and dairy products. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of spp. in 200 raw milk, ricotta, and artisan fresh cheese samples, collected from individual marketing points in four districts in Tunisia. Samples were analyzed for the presence of spp. by IS711-based real-time PCR assay. Positive samples were further analyzed by qPCR for and species differentiation. The DNA of spp. was detected in 75% of the samples, was detected in 31.3%, and was detected in 5.3% of positive samples. A percentage of 49.3% of samples co-harbored both species, while 14% of the spp. positive samples were not identified either as or . High contamination rates were found in ricotta (86.2%), cheese (69.6%), and raw milk (72.5%) samples. The study is the first in Tunisia to assess the occurrence of spp. contamination in artisanal unpasteurized dairy products and showed high contamination rates. The detection of both and highlights that zoonotic high-pathogen agent control remains a challenge for food safety and consumer health protection and could represent a serious emerging foodborne disease in Tunisia.