Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from tonsils of slaughtered fattening pigs in Switzerland

Sarno, Eleonora; Fierz, Lisa; Zweifel, Claudio; Tasara, Taurai; Stephan, Roger

doi:10.1007/s00003-015-0974-4

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Calculation of sample size was based on an expected prevalence between 4 and 30% according to previous studies in Germany and other European countries within the last 15 years (Fredriksson-Ahomaa et al 2009;Hellström et al 2010;Sarno et al 2016). We tested 200 and 230 animals per slaughterhouse, respectively for an accuracy of 5-10%.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been isolated from soil, dust, water, feed and sewage and from almost any animal species, including asymptomatic humans (Allerberger 2007). In asymptomatic pigs, it has been found in several matrices including intestinal content, tonsils, lymph nodes, pluck sets and carcass swabs, while tonsils showed the highest prevalence (Fredriksson-Ahomaa et al 2009;Hellström et al 2010;Iida et al 1998;Kanuganti et al 2002;Sarno et al 2016). In rare cases it can also cause clinical disease in pigs (Stein et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Slaughter pigs as carrier of Listeria monocytogenes in Germany

Oswaldi

Dzierzon

Thieme

et al. 2021

J Consum Prot Food Saf

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Listeria (L.) monocytogenes as the cause of human listeriosis is widespread in the environment and a hazard considering food safety. Almost all animal species as well as humans can be asymptomatic carriers of this bacterium. In pigs, the tonsils are identified as the organ with the highest detection rate compared to other sample matrices. We sampled 430 pigs in total in two slaughterhouses in Northwest and East Germany, two structurally different and important regions in pig production, to re-examine pigs as a possible source of Listeria-contamination of pork products. We detected a low prevalence of L. monocytogenes in tonsil samples of 1.6% (7/430) on single animal level and of 11.6% (5/43) on herd level with no significant difference between the two German regions. Apart from L. monocytogenes, the usually non-pathogenic L. innocua had a prevalence of 1.2% (5/430) on single animal level. From 200 pigs from Northwest Germany, intestinal content samples were analysed in addition to tonsil samples from the same animals, but no positive sample was found for L. monocytogenes (0.0%, 0/200), while four pigs were positive for L. innocua (2.0%, 4/200). Although the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in tonsils is low, the risk of cross-contaminating meat with the pathogen is still given.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slaughter pigs as carrier of Listeria monocytogenes in Germany

Oswaldi

Dzierzon

Thieme

et al. 2021

J Consum Prot Food Saf

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“…Healthy fatteners often carry L. monocytogenes and the tonsils seemed to be a high-risk tissue for cross-contamination of pork meat during slaughtering [ 57 ]. SARNO et al (2015) investigated tonsil samples at the abattoirs and found among a large variety of genotypes also isolates assigned to ST21, the predominant ST in our case [ 58 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Listeriosis in fattening pigs caused by poor quality silage - a case report

et al. 2018

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BackgroundListeria (L.) monocytogenes as the causative agent of listeriosis in humans and different animal species, has its reservoir in the environment. It can be found in the gut and faeces of healthy pigs, but under certain circumstances it may cause clinical disease. Fatteners are usually not known to get affected by Listeria-associated septicaemia and enteritis. This case report shows, that L. monocytogenes should be part of the list of differential diagnoses, when fattening pigs suffer from haemorrhagic diarrhoea and septicaemia.Case presentationHere, we report of an episode of fatal listeriosis in fattening pigs in a piglet producing farm in Lower Austria, which was combined with a fattening unit with space for 450 fatteners. The mortality rate resulted in 7.8% among fattening pigs after suffering from clinical symptoms such as anorexia, bloody diarrhoea and increased body temperature. Two fattening pigs with clinical symptoms and maize silage samples were used for further diagnostics. L. monocytogenes were isolated from serosa samples of the pigs and in the corresponding fed maize silage. One animal was positively tested for Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, which may have also been involved in the development of colitis. Immunohistochemically, L. monocytogenes could be detected in high amounts in lymphatic tissue of the gut. Molecular biological characterisation of the L. monocytogenes isolates from pigs and maize silage resulted in an identical DNA-fingerprint assigned to sequence type (ST) 21. Additionally, a high content of deoxynivalenol (3000 parts per billion) was found in maize silage. Therefore, the maize silage produced under inappropriate ensilaging conditions in a silo, was most likely the source of infection. Antimicrobial therapy with amoxicillin led to a fast cure of the remaining affected fatteners.ConclusionTo conclude, we were able to show, that L. monocytogenes can cause clinical disease in finishing pigs, which may have been a result of immunosuppression due to high deoxynivalenol exposure. When feeding silage it is important that all ensilaging procedures occur under appropriate anaerobic conditions to guarantee suppression of listerial growth.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-018-1687-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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