Effectiveness of copper ions against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and bacterial communities in naturally contaminated raw cow's milk

AIM

The focus of the present study was to evaluate the copper ions treatment on the viability of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and other bacterial communities in cow's milk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A copper ions treatment was evaluated in naturally contaminated cow's milk to assay MAP load and/or viability, and relative abundance of other bacterial communities. In addition, physical-chemical analyses of the milk were also performed. All analyses were carried out before and after a copper ions treatment. After copper ions treatment, pH and copper concentration markedly increased in milk; the numbers of viable MAP significantly decreased. The relative abundance of the four target phyla decreased, with the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes surviving treatment in higher proportions (4 and 2·1% of original populations, respectively). A progressively higher percentage of dead bacterial cells after 5 and 20 min copper ions treatments was found (12 and 35%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

With the exception of some MAP-tolerant strains, we have once again demonstrated that copper ions have a significant inactivating effect on MAP as well as certain other bacterial communities found in naturally contaminated cow's milk.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study showed a significant inactivation of both MAP and other bacteria by copper ions in raw cow's milk, information that could be useful as a tool for MAP control.

A 37-year-old Menkes disease patient-Residual ATP7A activity and early copper administration as key factors in beneficial treatment

Menkes disease (MD) is a lethal disorder characterized by severe neurological symptoms and connective tissue abnormalities; and results from malfunctioning of cuproenzymes, which cannot receive copper due to a defective intracellular copper transporting protein, ATP7A. Early parenteral copper-histidine supplementation may modify disease progression substantially but beneficial effects of long-term treatment have been recorded in only a few patients. Here we report on the eldest surviving MD patient (37 years) receiving early-onset and long-term copper treatment. He has few neurological symptoms without connective tissue disturbances; and a missense ATP7A variant, p.(Pro852Leu), which results in impaired protein trafficking while the copper transport function is spared. These findings suggest that some cuproenzymes maintain their function when sufficient copper is provided to the cells; and underline the importance of early initiated copper treatment, efficiency of which is likely to be dependent on the mutant ATP7A function.