A STUDY OF THE INCIDENCE AND PATHOGENIC POTENTIAL OF YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA IN INDIANA PORK
Abstract
Yersinia enterocolitica was isolated from 121 of 238 tongue samples and 35 of 131 carcass swabs. The samples were taken from three processing plants in Indiana representing Northern, Central, and Southern regions of the state. The incidence of Y. enterocolitica was found to be influenced by seasonal, geographical, and processing procedural differences. Y. enterocolitica biotype 1 was by far the most frequently isolated at 47.2% and biotype 3 was next at 27.5%. Only fourteen Y. enterocolitica-like were recovered. Yersinia enterocolitica isolates from pork meat were screened for their content of 42 Mdal Plasmid DNA. Of 186 isolates, 42 were found to contain significant base sequence homology when hybridized with purified 42 Mdal plasmid DNA from WA strain serotype 0:8. The growth of the 42 isolates was inhibited on calcium deficient medium at 37 C; the same isolates autoagglutinated at 37 C but not at 26 C when permitted to grow in MEM cell culture medium. Mice treated with 10('9) cells of selected isolates with and without the 42 Mdal plasmid exhibited brief periods of slightly soft stools but the treatment resulted in no death and negligible elevation of bacterial growth in the spleens six days following treatment.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Food science
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