This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Laukkanen, R.
Right arrow Articles by Korkeala, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Laukkanen, R.
Right arrow Articles by Korkeala, H.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Laukkanen, R.
Right arrow Articles by Korkeala, H.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2008, p. 5444-5450, Vol. 74, No. 17
0099-2240/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02664-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Transmission of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in the Pork Production Chain from Farm to Slaughterhouse{triangledown}

Riikka Laukkanen,1* Pilar Ortiz Martínez,1 Kirsi-Maarit Siekkinen,2 Jukka Ranta,2 Riitta Maijala,1,{dagger} and Hannu Korkeala1

Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014 Helsinki University, Finland,1 Risk Assessment Unit, Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Mustialankatu 3, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland2

Received 23 November 2007/ Accepted 7 July 2008

The transmission of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in the pork production chain was followed from farm to slaughterhouse by studying the same 364 pigs from different production systems at farm and slaughterhouse levels. In all, 1,785 samples were collected, and the isolated Y. pseudotuberculosis strains were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The results of microbial sampling were combined with data from an on-farm observation and questionnaire study to elucidate the associations between farm factors and the prevalence of Y. pseudotuberculosis. Following the same pigs in the production chain from farm to slaughterhouse, we were able to show similar Y. pseudotuberculosis genotypes in live animals, pluck sets (containing tongue, tonsils, esophagus, trachea, heart, lungs, diaphragm, liver, and kidneys), and carcasses and to conclude that Y. pseudotuberculosis contamination originates from the farms, is transported to slaughterhouses with pigs, and transfers to pluck sets and carcasses in the slaughter process. The study also showed that the high prevalence of Y. pseudotuberculosis in live pigs predisposes carcasses and pluck sets to contamination. When production types and capacities were compared, the prevalence of Y. pseudotuberculosis was higher in organic production than in conventional production and on conventional farms with high rather than low production capacity. We were also able to associate specific farm factors with the prevalence of Y. pseudotuberculosis by using a questionnaire and on-farm observations. On farms, contact with pest animals and the outside environment and a rise in the number of pigs on the farm appear to increase the prevalence of Y. pseudotuberculosis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014 Helsinki University, Finland. Phone: 358 9 191 57135. Fax: 358 9 191 57170. E-mail: riikka.laukkanen{at}helsinki.fi

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 18 July 2008.

{dagger} Present address: European Food Safety Authority, Largo N Palli 5/a, 43100 Parma, Italy.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2008, p. 5444-5450, Vol. 74, No. 17
0099-2240/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02664-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»