Evaluation of the disinfectant concentration used on livestock facilities in Korea during dual outbreakof foot and mouth disease and high pathogenic avian influenza

Background@#A nationwide outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in South Korea caused massive economic losses in 2010. Since then, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) has enhanced disinfection systems regarding livestock to prevent horizontal transmission of FMD and Avian influenza (AI). Although the amount of disinfectant used continues to increase, cases of FMD and AI have been occurring annually in Korea, except 2012 and 2013. @*Objectives@#This study measured the concentration of the disinfectant to determine why it failed to remove the horizontal transmission despite increased disinfectant use. @*Methods@#Surveys were conducted from February to May 2017, collecting 348 samples from disinfection systems. The samples were analyzed using the Standards of Animal Health Products analysis methods from QIA. @*Results@#Twenty-three facilities used inappropriate or non-approved disinfectants. Nearly all sampled livestock farms and facilities—93.9%—did not properly adjust the disinfectant concentration. The percentage using low concentrations, or where no effective substance was detected, was 46.9%. Furthermore, 13 samples from the official disinfection station did not use effective disinfectant, and—among 72 samples from the disinfection station—88.89% were considered inappropriate concentration, according to the foot-and-mouth disease virus guidelines; considering the AIV guideline, 73.61% were inappropriate concentrations. Inappropriate concentration samples on automatic (90.00%) and semi-automatic (90.90%) disinfection systems showed no significant difference from manual methods (88.24%). Despite this study being conducted during the crisis level, most disinfectants were used inappropriately. @*Conclusions@#This may partially explain why horizontal transmission of FMD and AI cannot be effectively prevented despite extensive disinfectant use.

A study on the needs to improve Korea abattoir's critical control point of HACCP system

Abstract: These days abattoirs' hygiene of Korea is regulated by Hazzard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Although 20 years have been left since first HACCP was adjusted in Korea, 12% of abattoirs got inconsistence on evaluations. Food poisoning caused by bacteria feces like pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella has not decreased. These bacteria on meat crosscontaminate at the abattoir. Therefore, field verification of abattoir's critical control point (CCP) and experiments to find alternative ways of the CCP were conducted. The aerobic bacteria were measured before and after high-pressure water based washing process set as CCP in most abattoirs. Four parts of cattle carcasses were selected to apply sponge-swab method. The effects were < 1 log reduction which is not significant. Lactic acid (LC), chlorine dioxide (ClO2 ) and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) were used to measure the effect of reducing bacteria on beef by the different time. LC has 1.24–2.02 log reduction for aerobic bacteria. ClO2 has 1.44–1.96 log reduction for aerobic bacteria. SAEW has 1.1–1.91 log reduction for aerobic bacteria. There was significant difference according to concentrations (p < 0.05). This study presents legitimacy for hygiene improvement of CCP by field verification. In addition, chemical disinfectants that can be mechanically applied have better reduction effects of high-pressure washing.

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis and Q fever in Korean black goats

As the meat of black goats has become popular as a healthy food, domestic goat meat-related industries are steadily growing. However, previous studies are scarce of informations about the zoonotic disease originated from the black goat in Korea. In this study, we investigated Korean black goat's infectious diseases representing bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, and Q fever. One hundred and eighty samples were collected from a local slaughter house located in Jeollanam-do. Three typical zoonotic diseases were separately examined by carrying out enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Histopathological test was additionally performed in tuberculosis. In case of tuberculosis, results of the PCR and histopathological test were negative but the ELISA results were positive in eight samples. In case of brucellosis, one out of the total samples was shown to be positive in the ELISA and none in the PCR. In case of Q fever, there were forty one positive in the ELISA and twenty positive in the real-time PCR. Those results indicate that the Korean black goat could be a natural reservoir in the possible chain-infections among human, cows and goats. Thus, further study needs in order to improve productivity as well as to prevent the zoonosis spreading and circulation of other livestock with the black goat in this country.