Protothecosis has been reported in humans (gastroenteritis, bursitis, etc.)
and in many other animal species. Bovine mastitis represents the main form
of occurrence of protothecosis in cattle. Milk as well as dairy products,
when contaminated with Prototheca spp., represent a potential means of tran
smission of this zoonosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the su
sceptibility of forty Prototheca zopfii strains isolated from milk from int
ramammary infections in dairy cows and also from bulk milk tanks of dairy f
arms, to the different ratios of temperature/time employed in the thermal t
reatment of milk: 72-75 degrees C/1 5 seconds, 72-75 degrees C/20 seconds a
nd 62-65 degrees C/30 minutes. The samples were subjected to these differen
t temperature/time ratios. The evaluation of the thermal susceptibility of
the P. zopfii strains showed that 34 strains were resistant in at least one
of the tests. The results point out the need to consider the importance of
mastitis caused by Prototheca spp. as representing a public health risk.