Yersinia enterocolitica in slaughtered food animals

ABSTRACT

500 samples were collected from 100 freshly slaughtered food animals, 25 of each of beef, veal, mutton, and goat carcasses. Each carcass was represented by part of diaphragmatic muscle, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes. Moreover, rectal swab and surface swab from the thigh extended to outside of abdomen, chest and shoulder were collected. The samples were cold enriched and then inoculated on Yersinia selective agar base with supplement. Yersinia enterocolitica was more frequently isolated from livers [9%] than mesenteric lymph nodes and rectal swabs, each constituting 5%, then the surface swabs [2%] and finally the muscle [1%]. The incidence of Y. enterocolitica amongst beef samples [7.2%] was higher than in samples collected from mutton, goat and veal, each constituting 3.2%, 5.6% and 1.6%, respectively. The public health significance of Y. enterocolitica as a food borne disease was discussed