title: Prevalence of Salmonella serotypes on pig carcasses from high- and low-risk herds slaughtered in three abattoirs.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of Salmonella serotypes at two different sites on pig carcasses from herds classified as high-risk or low-risk and to elucidate the relationship between carcass contamination levels and serological status. Caecal samples and carcass surface swabs were cultured for Salmonella from a total of 210 pigs from low risk herds (< 19% of pigs in herd Salmonella seropositive) and 209 pigs from high risk herds (> 32% of pigs in herd Salmonella seropositive) in three abattoirs. Meat juice samples were collected for analysis by ELISA. The prevalence of Salmonella in the caecal contents of "low-risk" pigs was 10%, which was significantly lower than the 19% prevalence in "high-risk" pigs (p < 0.01). The corresponding figures for skin samples collected immediately post-evisceration were 2% and 12%. The predominant Salmonella serotype in the caecal contents of both the low-risk and high-risk pigs was Salmonella Typhimurium. Salmonella Kentucky and Salmonella Derby were the most frequent isolates from the carcass surface swabs of low- and high-risk pigs respectively. There was a positive association between seropositivity of pigs from high-risk herds and caecal carriage (p < 0.05). Results showed that herd categorisation based on serological results was useful in predicting Salmonella isolation rates from caecal samples and surface swabs of slaughtered pigs.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UCD, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Quirke
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012703:Serotyping; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*