Microbial quality of camel milk along the market value chain in Awsa zone of Afar region, northeast Ethiopia

The intake of raw camel milk by the larger pastoral community in the Afar Region poses a major public health threat. This study aimed to identify and isolate bacterial pathogens, focusing on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, from raw camel milk collected from udders and markets along the market chain in the study areas. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from November 2019 to July 2020. Two-hundred ten (210) raw camel milk samples were used for isolation of S. aureus and E. coli by standard microbiological methods. Moreover, structured questionnaires were prepared and administered to 105 pastoralists and market retailers to assess their awareness of milk hygiene and associated consequences. Data were analyzed using STATA 14 software. Out of 210 samples that w, 41 (39.1%) and 22 (20.9%) were identified as positive for S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Both S. aureus and E. coli were detected in only 52 samples, whether single or in combination, resulting in an overall prevalence of 24.7% of positive samples. The calculated mean total bacterial count (TBC) was 5.37±0.08 log10 CFU/ml for udder milk samples, while it was 5.80 ± 0.14 log10 CFU/ml for market milk samples. The study revealed that nearly all respondents, 104 (99.05%), regularly consumed raw milk. Additionally, the majority of participants, 104 (96.19%), were unaware of the harmful bacteria that can be found in raw milk. The study identified both S. aureus and E. coli bacterial isolates from raw camel samples. Of the 60 raw milk samples having TBC tested, only 4 (6.67%) of them were found to be unsound for human consumption.