Cryptosporidium species are coccidian parasites with a large capacity to reproduce and to disseminate. Several species are known to infect farm animals, although the economic importance of cryptosporidiosis is highly host species dependent. This paper reviews the impact of cryptosporidial infections in livestock and poultry. For different farm animals, the Cryptosporidium spp. that occur, as well as their clinical and pathological features, and their interactions with other pathogens, are described. In addition, data concerning the prevalence, the transmission and the epidemiology of the disease are mentioned and a description of the economic losses associated with cryptosporidiosis in each of the hosts is given. Cryptosporidiosis seems to be mainly a problem in neonatal ruminants. Cryptosporidium parvum is considered to be an important agent in the aetiology of the neonatal diarrhoea syndrome of calves, lambs and goat kids, causing considerable direct and indirect economic losses. Avian cryptosporidiosis is an emerging health problem in poultry, associated with respiratory disease in chickens and other Galliformes, and with intestinal disease in turkeys and quails. Because of limited availability of effective drugs, the control of cryptosporidiosis relies mainly on hygienic measures and good management.

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Reporting of clinically suspected cattle is currently the most common method for detecting cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Improvement of clinical diagnosis and decision-making remains crucial. A comparison of clinical patterns, consisting of 25 signs, was made between all 30 BSE cases, confirmed in Belgium before October 2002, and 272 suspected cases that were subsequently determined to be histologically, immunohistochemically, and scrapie-associated-fiber negative. Seasonality in reporting suspected cases was observed, with more cases being reported during wintertime when animals were kept indoors. The median duration of illness was 30 days. The 10 most relevant signs of BSE were kicking in the milking parlor, hypersensitivity to touch and/or sound, head shyness, panic-stricken response, reluctance to enter in the milking parlor, abnormal ear movement or carriage, increased alertness behavior, reduced milk yield, teeth grinding, and temperament change. Ataxia did not appear to be a specific sign of BSE. A classification and regression tree was constructed by using the following four features: age of the animal, year of birth, number of relevant BSE signs noted, and number of clinical signs, typical for listeriosis, noted. The model had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 85%. This approach allows the use of an interactive decision-support tool, based entirely on odds ratios, a statistic independent of disease prevalence.

The efficacy of halofuginone lactate against natural Cryptosporidium parvum infection in 150 neonatal market calves of a mixed Belgian breed was tested. The drug was administered orally in the milk replacer over a period of 3 to 14 days at doses ranging from 30 to 500 micrograms/kg of body weight. Over a period of 4 weeks, the animals were examined twice a week for shedding of C. parvum oocysts and were scored semiquantitatively for diarrhea. Weight gain was assessed after 2 and 4 weeks. Subclinical infections by rota-, corona-, and bovine picobirnaviruses were equally distributed in the different groups. In total, 93% of the unmedicated calves eliminated C. parvum within 10 days after arrival at the rearing unit and 62% of them showed diarrhea. Immediately after treatment with halofuginone was started, no more signs of Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea were established. From the level of 60 micrograms/kg on, oocysts were no longer detected in 98% of animals 5 to 6 days after the start of treatment. Animals remained negative for at least 7 days after withdrawal of the drug. From 7 to 10 days after withdrawal, some animals excreted oocysts again. The number of shedders was closely linked with increasing doses of the drug, which indicates that lower doses do not interrupt infection completely and allow development of immunity. In this respect, a dose of 60 to 125 micrograms/kg over a period of 7 days seems most appropriate in practice. Toxic side effects were noticed only at 500 micrograms/kg.

Fecal and serum anti-Cryptosporidium parvum immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM, and IgG were monitored by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after experimental and natural infection of calves with C. parvum. Although all experimentally infected calves showed high levels of colostral antibodies in the feces, they acquired C. parnum infection. Three of five animals died. Calves which acquired natural infection showed only diarrhea. Levels of colostral coproantibodies dropped quickly. Experimental infection was followed by a rise in local anti-C. parvum IgM levels from day 5 postinfection (p.i.). IgM peaked at day 14 p.i. and then disappeared quickly. Anti-C. parvum IgA levels rose between days 7 and 14 p.i. and decreased slowly. Rising levels of coproantibodies coincided with falling oocyst output. Fecal anti-C. parvum IgG levels rose slightly during oocyst output, and IgG disappeared 3 weeks p.i. Similar kinetics were established in naturally infected calves. Although fecal anti-C. parvum IgA levels declined slowly, reinfections were established 5, 7, and 14 weeks after the primary contact. Serum anti-C. parvum IgG levels rose during maximal oocyst excretion, whereas serum anti-C. parvum IgA levels peaked later than did local IgA levels. Challenge reinfection of naturally infected calves at day 112 was not followed by clinical signs or oocyst output or by a secondary antibody response. Sequential Western immunoblotting with fecal extracts revealed up to 32 different parasite antigens. Convalescent-phase sera recognized up to 23 antigens. Fecal IgA reacted intensely with antigens with relative molecular weights (Mr) of approximately 11,000 and 15,000. These antigens were not recognized by convalescent-phase serum IgG. Both local IgA and serum IgG also showed strong reactions with 23,000and 44,000-M, antigens and with several antigens of between 66,200 and 200,000 Mr. Most bands remained detectable for at least 16 weeks p.i. Cryptosporidium parvum is a parasite distributed worldwide. It causes diarrhea and sometimes mortality in a broad range of mammals. In calves, the economic impact of cryptosporidiosis is considerable and comparable to that of rotavirus infection (23). C. parvum has been identified as the second most common infectious agent in outbreaks of diarrhea (1, 16). C. parvum is non-host specific and can easily be transmitted from one species to another. Infected calves and

A qualitative risk assessment identified Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp. as the most relevant biological hazards in the context of meat inspection of swine. A comprehensive pork carcass safety assurance is the only way to ensure their effective control. This requires setting targets to be achieved in/on chilled carcasses, which also informs what has to be achieved earlier in the food chain. Improved Food Chain Information (FCI) enables risk‐differentiation of pig batches (hazard‐related) and abattoirs (process hygiene‐related). Risk reduction measures at abattoir level are focused on prevention of microbial contamination through technology‐ and process hygiene‐based measures (GMP/GHP‐ and HACCP‐based), including omitting palpation/incision during post‐mortem inspection in routine slaughter, as well as hazard reduction/inactivation meat treatments if necessary. At farm level, risk reduction measures are based on herd health programmes, closed breeding pyramids and GHP/GFP. Chemical substances listed in Council Directive 96/23/EC were ranked into four categories. Dioxins, dioxin‐like polychlorinated biphenyls and chloramphenicol were ranked as being of high potential concern. However, chemical substances in pork are unlikely to pose an immediate or short term health risk for consumers. Opportunities for risk‐based inspection strategies by means of differentiated sampling plans taking into account FCI were identified. Regular update of sampling programmes and inclusion of inspection criteria for the identification of illicit use of substances were also recommended. Meat inspection is a key component of the overall surveillance system for pig health and welfare but information is currently under‐utilised. The changes proposed to the pig meat inspection system will lead to some reduction in the detection probability of diseases and welfare conditions. The difference is likely to be minimal for diseases/conditions that affect several organs. To mitigate the reduced detection probability, palpation and/or incision should be conducted as a follow‐up to visual inspection whenever abnormalities are seen.

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This Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) represents a major step forward in terms of modelling Salmonella in pigs from farm to consumption as it takes into account the variability between and within EU Member States (MSs). Around 10-20% of human Salmonella infections in EU may be attributable to the pig reservoir as a whole. From the QMRA analysis it appears that an 80% or 90% reduction of lymph node prevalence should result in a comparable reduction in the number of human cases attributable to pig meat products. Theoretically, according to the QMRA the following scenarios appear possible (a) by ensuring that breeder pigs are Salmonella-free a reduction of 70-80% in high prevalence MSs and 10-20% in low prevalence MSs can be foreseen; (b) by feeding only Salmonella-free feedstuffs, a reduction of 10-20% in high prevalence MSs and 60-70% in low prevalence MSs can be foreseen; and (c) by preventing infection from external sources of Salmonella (i.e. rodents and birds) a reduction of 10-20% in slaughter pig lymph node prevalence can be foreseen in both high and low prevalence MSs. A hierarchy of control measures is suggested -a high prevalence in breeder pigs needs to be addressed first, followed by control of feed and then control of environmental contamination. Also according to the QMRA, for each MS, a reduction of two logs (99%) of Salmonella numbers on contaminated carcasses would result in more than 90% reduction of the number of human salmonellosis cases attributable to pig meat consumption. The control of Salmonella in pig reservoir in the EU is a reasonable objective. The EU Salmonella control strategy in pigs should be continuously evaluated to identify possible improvements. KEY WORDSSalmonella, pigs, pig meat, QMRA, control, prevention, risk assessment, epidemiology 1 On request from the European Commission, Question No EFSA-Q-2006-176, originally adopted on 11 March 2010.After identification of modelling errors in the QMRA report by the consortium (grant beneficiary), this opinion was corrected, the current annex with explanations for the corrections of the errors added, and the corrected opinion adopted on 21 October 2010. The changes were made in Section 6 and corresponding conclusions, and are specified in Appendix C and Appendix E. SUMMARYFollowing a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Biological Hazards was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on a Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) of Salmonella in slaughter and breeder pigs. The assessment would provide the input for a future cost/benefit analysis of setting a target for reduction in slaughter pigs at EU level. EFSA commissioned a QMRA modelling the pig meat food chain from farm to fork. The QMRA model was based on input data from the baseline studies of Salmonella in breeder and slaughter pigs, and other relevant data. The QMRA represents a major step forward in terms of modelling Salmonella in pigs from farm to consumption as it takes into account the variability between and within EU M...