Investigation of the potential effects of transportation and lairage on the contamination of pig carcasses with Yersinia enterocolitica

Pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica is frequently isolated from pig tonsils, but can also be found in the feces and lymph nodes of infected animals; which represent potential sources for the surface carcass contamination during slaughter. The aim of the study was to investigate the respective effects of the transportation and lairage steps on the overall contamination of the carcass, taking also into account the contamination of their environment. Each Trial was conducted in two abattoirs, whose environmental contamination was assessed. In each abattoir, 6 trucks and 6 lairage pens were sampled in duplicate at the end of the day, for 5 consecutive days, in spring and autumn. Four groups of 8 pigs from the Anses Specific Pathogen-Free herd (SPF) were mixed with conventional pigs for different contact times during transportation (1h) or lairage (2, 4 or 8h) prior to slaughter, and one group had no contact with other pigs. Each group of SPF pigs was sampled at the end of the slaughter line for the presence of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica for internal (tonsils, caecal content, mesenteric lymph nodes) and external (carcass surface) contamination. Samples were placed in ITC broth for enrichment at 25°C for 48h. Broth was streaked on CIN plates. After 24H at 30°C, typical colonies were streaked on YeCM plates. Biochemical tests were done to confirm Y. enterocolitica and to identify the biotype. The environmental contamination of trucks and lairage was very low. Y. enterocolitica was only detected in 11/240 lairage swabs. All internal and external samples from SPF pigs mixed with conventional pigs during transportation or lairage were negative after slaughter. Four tonsils of the SPF pigs slaughtered directly on the slaughter line after 4 hours of activity, with no prior contact with conventional pigs, and one of the corresponding surface carcasses, were found positive in one abattoir. In our experimental conditions with SPF pigs, we were not able to demonstrate contamination by contact with conventional pigs during transportation and lairage steps, whose environmental contamination appeared to be scarce. Limited cross contaminations were observed during the slaughter process, which emphasizes the importance of good hygiene procedures to limit carcass contamination by pathogenic Y. enterocolitica

Investigation of the potential effects of transportation and lairage on the contamination of pig carcasses with Yersinia enterocolitica

Pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica is frequently isolated from pig tonsils, but can also be found in the feces and lymph nodes of infected animals; which represent potential sources for the surface carcass contamination during slaughter. The aim of the study was to investigate the respective effects of the transportation and lairage steps on the overall contamination of the carcass, taking also into account the contamination of their environment. Each Trial was conducted in two abattoirs, whose environmental contamination was assessed. In each abattoir, 6 trucks and 6 lairage pens were sampled in duplicate at the end of the day, for 5 consecutive days, in spring and autumn. Four groups of 8 pigs from the Anses Specific Pathogen-Free herd (SPF) were mixed with conventional pigs for different contact times during transportation (1h) or lairage (2, 4 or 8h) prior to slaughter, and one group had no contact with other pigs. Each group of SPF pigs was sampled at the end of the slaughter line for the presence of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica for internal (tonsils, caecal content, mesenteric lymph nodes) and external (carcass surface) contamination. Samples were placed in ITC broth for enrichment at 25°C for 48h. Broth was streaked on CIN plates. After 24H at 30°C, typical colonies were streaked on YeCM plates. Biochemical tests were done to confirm Y. enterocolitica and to identify the biotype. The environmental contamination of trucks and lairage was very low. Y. enterocolitica was only detected in 11/240 lairage swabs. All internal and external samples from SPF pigs mixed with conventional pigs during transportation or lairage were negative after slaughter. Four tonsils of the SPF pigs slaughtered directly on the slaughter line after 4 hours of activity, with no prior contact with conventional pigs, and one of the corresponding surface carcasses, were found positive in one abattoir. In our experimental conditions with SPF pigs, we were not able to demonstrate contamination by contact with conventional pigs during transportation and lairage steps, whose environmental contamination appeared to be scarce. Limited cross contaminations were observed during the slaughter process, which emphasizes the importance of good hygiene procedures to limit carcass contamination by pathogenic Y. enterocolitica.</p