Prevalence of EnteropathogenicYersiniain Estonian, Latvian, and Russian (Leningrad Region) Pigs

Abstract

Tonsils of 457 fattening pigs from Estonia (n = 151), Latvia (n = 109), and the Leningrad Region of Russia (n = 197) were collected between 2004 and 2007 to study the prevalence of enteropathogenic Yersinia in slaughter pigs. Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis were isolated by selective and cold enrichment. Pathogenic Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis were identified by PCR targeting the chromosomal genes ail and inv, respectively. The presence of the virulence plasmid was confirmed by PCR targeting the virF gene of Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis. The prevalence of ail-positive Y. enterocolitica was 89% in Estonia, 64% in Latvia, and 34% in Russia, with 81% of ail-positive samples being virF-positive. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) difference between Estonian and Latvian pigs and between pigs from Latvia and the Leningrad Region of Russia was observed when assuming randomized sampling. Y. enterocolitica bioserotype 4/O:3 was the only pathogenic type found. The prevalence of inv and virF-positive Y. pseudotuberculosis was higher in Russia (7%) than in Latvia (5%) and Estonia (1%), with a statistically significant difference between pigs from Estonia and the Leningrad Region of Russia when assuming both randomized sampling and clustering at farms. All Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates were bioserotype 2/O:3. A total of eight pigs (2%), one pig from Latvia and seven pigs from the Leningrad Region of Russia, carried both pathogenic Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis in the tonsils. Cold enrichment was found to be a more efficient method compared to selective enrichment to isolate both species. Pigs seem to be an important reservoir of human enteropathogenic Y. enterocolitica 4/O:3 and Y. pseudotuberculosis 2/O:3 in these countries.

Relation Between Serology of Meat Juice and Bacteriology of Tonsils and Feces for the Detection of EnteropathogenicYersiniaspp. in Pigs at Slaughter

“…On the other hand, ELISA assays using specific antigens against Y. enterocolitica serotype O:3 (Nielsen et al, 1996) may detect antibodies against the most common pathogenic serotype in pigs, but not the more rare Y. enterocolitica serotypes and Y. pseudotuberculosis. Nevertheless, as in most European countries, Y. enterocolitica serotype O:3 predominates in pigs (Bucher et al, 2008;Ortiz Martínez et al, 2009;Van Damme et al, 2010), this may have a small impact on the final outcome.…”

“…enterocolitica is mainly transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated pork (Fosse et al, 2008;Rosner et al, 2012). A high proportion of pigs at slaughter are infected with this pathogen, mainly bioserotype 4/O:3 (Bucher et al, 2008;Ortiz Martínez et al, 2009). Y. pseudotuberculosis is also found in slaughter pigs, though to a lesser extent than Y. enterocolitica (Ortiz Martínez et al, 2009).…”

“…A high proportion of pigs at slaughter are infected with this pathogen, mainly bioserotype 4/O:3 (Bucher et al, 2008;Ortiz Martínez et al, 2009). Y. pseudotuberculosis is also found in slaughter pigs, though to a lesser extent than Y. enterocolitica (Ortiz Martínez et al, 2009). The pathogens are present in the oral cavity (particularly tonsils and tongue), lymph nodes, and the gastrointestinal tract.…”

Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis in Genotyping Yersinia enterocolitica Strains from Human and Porcine Origins

“…Recently, bioserotype 2/O:9 infections have been on the rise (7)(8)(9). Besides humans, bioserotype 4/O:3 frequently is isolated from samples of pig origin (2,(10)(11)(12)(13).…”

The presence of anti-Yersinia pseudotuberculosis immunoglobulins in equine serum

“…Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a cause of many acute and chronic animal disorders with different clinical symptoms (Gaydos et al 2009, Wessels et al 2009), which may lead to casual cases of disease or even dangerous outbreaks (Martinez et al 2009). However, yersiniosis is rarely diagnosed in horses as its symptoms in foals resemble more common rhodococcosis (Reuss et al 2007).…”