Conclusions
The main source of sporadic human YE 4:O3 infections in Finland is the pig. YE 4:O3 is a common bacterium in slaughtered pigs, especially in tonsils. During evisceration, the tonsils are removed in conjunction with the pluck set (tongue, oesophagus, trachea, heart, lungs, diaphragm, liver and kidneys). The spread of YE 4:O3 from highly contaminated tonsils to the offal can not be avoided, especially when they hang together on a hook. Contaminated pig tongues, hearts, livers and kidneys have shown to be an important transmission vehicle of this bacterium from pigs to man. The only way to prevent the spread of pathogenic YE from pig tonsils to offal, carcasses and the environment is to modify the European Union legislation (64/433/EEC), to mandate that the head, containing the tonsils and tongue, should be removed prior to evisceration and that inspection and handling of the head, tonsils and tongue should occur in a separate room.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bottone, E. J., 1999, Yersinia enterocolitica: overview and epidemiologic correlates. Microb. Infect. 1: 323–333.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Autio, T., and Korkeala, H., 1999a, Efficient subtyping of Yersinia enterocolitica bioserotype 4/O:3 with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 29: 308–312.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Björkroth, J., Hielm, S., and Korkeala, H., 2000a, Prevalence and characterisation of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica in pig tonsils from different slaughterhouses. Food Microbiol. 17: 93–101.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Bucher, M., Hank, C., Stolle, A., and Korkeala, H., 2001a, High prevalence of Yersinia enterocolitica 4:O3 on pig offal in Southern Germany: a slaughtering technique problem. System. Appl. Microbiol. 24: 457–463.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Hallanvuo, S., Korte, T., Siitonen, A., and Korkeala, H., 2001b, Correspondence of genotypes of sporadic Yersinia enterocolitica 4/O:3 strains from human and porcine origin. Epidemiol. Infect. 127: 37–47.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Hielm, S., and Korkeala, H., 1999b, High prevalence of yadA-positive Yersinia enterocolitica in pig tongues and minced meat at retail level. J. Food Prot. 62: 123–127.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Korte, T., and Korkeala, H., 2000b, Contamination of carcasses, offals and the environment with yadA-positive Yersinia enterocolitica in a pig slaughterhouse. J. Food Prot. 63: 31–35.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Korte, T., and Korkeala, H., 2001c, Transmission of Yersinia enterocolitica 4/O:3 to pets via contaminated pork, Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 32: 375–378.
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Lyhs, U., Korte, T., and Korkeala, H., 2001d, Prevalence of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica in food samples at retail level in Finland. Arch. Lebensmittelhyg. 52: 66–68.
Iteman, I., Guiyoule, A., and Carniel, E., 1996, Comparison of three molecular methods for typing and subtyping pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica strains. J. Med. Microbiol. 45: 48–56.
KTL, 2000, Infectious disease in Finland 1995–1999. KTL B4/2000, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
KTL, 2001, Infectious disease in Finland 2000. KTL B8/2001, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Ostroff, S. M., Kapperud, G., Huteagner, L. C., Nesbakken, T., Bean, N. H., Lassen, J., and Tauxe, R. V., 1994, Sources of sporadic Yersinia enterocolitica infections in Norway: a prospective case-control study. Epidemiol. Infect. 112: 133–141.
RKI, 2002, Epidemiologisches Bulletin No. 29. Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Tauxe, R. V., Wauters, G., Goossens, V., van Noyen, R., Vandepitte, J., Martin, S. M., de Moel, P., and Tiers, G., 1987, Yersinia enterocolitica infections and pork: the missing link. Lancet. i: 1129–1132.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M., Korkeala, H. (2004). Molecular Epidemiology of Yersinia enterocolitica 4/O:3. In: Skurnik, M., Bengoechea, J.A., Granfors, K. (eds) The Genus Yersinia. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 529. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48416-1_56
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48416-1_56
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-306-47759-1
Online ISBN: 978-0-306-48416-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive