Wondwossen Abebe Gebreyes The Ohio State University

Publish Date: July 17, 2006

North Carolina State University Pork Quality Research from 2003. Pork accounts for 25% of domestic meat consumption and non-typhoidal Salmonella remains a very important foodborne pathogen in pork. The objectives of this study were to determine antimicrobial susceptibility among Salmonella isolates from swine and humans, to conduct phenotypic analysis and determine secular trends of multi-drug resistant (MDR) types in swine. The most common and public health important serovar Typhimurium (including var. Copenhagen) were found to be commonly multi-drug resistant (MDR) with two distinct pentaresistance types (R-types): Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol Streptomycin, Sulfamethoxazole and Tetracycline (AmCmStSuTe, 36.1%) and Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Streptomycin, Sulfamethoxazole and Tetracycline (AmKmStSuTe, 44.6%). During the three-year study, there was a significant decline of AmCmStSuTe resistance type among S. Typhimurium (including var. Copenhagen) whereas a significant increase in the AKSSuT resistance type was observed (p<0.05). More than 80% of the isolates from human subjects (n=215) were susceptible to all antimicrobial agents tested. None of the MDR types among human diagnostic specimens exhibited AmKmStSuTe pattern (the most common resistance type in swine). The discordance in resistance types between the two hosts is currently under investigation.

Publish Date: June 6, 2006

A growing proportion of swine are produced in large scale, multiple-site systems that segregate production into 2 or 3 sites. These systems were initially designed with control of production impairing diseases as the primary goal (Harris, 1988). In North Carolina, USA, the predominant systems for swine production consist of 3 sites, segregated into breeding sows/boars and suckling pigs; nursery pigs; and finisher pigs.

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

This manuscript reviews on-farm risk factors that have been associated with the prevalence status of Salmonella in swine. Salmonella is the second most common etiological cause of bacterial human food borne illness in the US, and most cases can be attributed to contaminated food products. Reduction of human food borne salmonellosis has become a public health priority both nationally and internationally. Public health concerns, increased stringency of regulatory limits at slaughter, and competition for international market share are likely to increase interest in on-farm Salmonella control.

Publish Date: September 24, 2007

Campylobacteriosis is a serious foodborne disease in which pork could be implicated. Campylobacter bacteria have been found in the intestinal tract of domestic and wild mammals, poultry, wild birds, and in untreated water and unpasteurized milk. Infection in piglets can occur as early as the first 24 hours after birth. The likely route of transmission is from the sow to the newborn; however, the exact routes by which food animals become infected have not been clearly defined. The predominant species of Campylobacter in pigs is C. coli, whereas the predominant species in poultry and cattle is C. jejuni. Most human infections in the U.S. are associated with C. jejuni, whereas in Europe, high incidence of human infection with C. coli is also reported. With the exception of abortion in sheep, food animals that are colonized with Campylobacter usually dont have any clinical signs. A high percentage of animals at slaughter are infected and this is also an important phase in the farm-to-table continuum where Campylobacter usually enters the food chain. Human foodborne Campylobacter infection most commonly comes from consuming food that is contaminated or cross-contaminated (i.e. uncontaminated foods that came in contact with contaminated sources) at the post-harvest level. Campylobacter can be routinely isolated from retail meat products with the highest frequency found in poultry. Most control methods center on the prevention of contamination and cross-contamination along the food chain. Campylobacter does not grow well in food. In that respect, it is different from Salmonella or Staphylococcus which can multiply in poorly stored food.