Abstract
The production of pork has been increasing in recent years as well as the requirement for quality products, free of any hazard for consumers. Salmonella spp. represents a biological hazard and has been identified worldwide as the agent responsible for many cases of foodborne diseases. Swine are considered to be an important reservoir of Salmonella spp. and hence knowledge of the dynamics of the bacteria throughout the pork production chain is essential. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in pigs slaughtered in the Federal District of Brazil. A total of 240 samples of mesenteric lymph nodes (LM) were collected and also 240 carcass swabs (SC), in a slaughterhouse submitted to official inspection. The samples were subjected to the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) assay for bacterial detection, revealing a prevalence of 68.75% in the mesenteric lymph nodes of the slaughtered pigs and 29.17% in the SC. Moreover, the data analysis revealed that the distance between farm and slaughterhouse showed a moderately positive correlation with the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in the LM of the pigs at slaughter. A low positive correlation was also found between the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in the LM of the slaughtered pigs and the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in the SC. These results show the need to implement monitoring programs to reduce the prevalence in the animals sent to slaughterhouses and to avoid cross-contamination in food establishments.
Keywords:
Diagnostic method; Pig; Polymerase chain reaction; Bacteria