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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #145314
Title: DISTRIBUTION AND SPREAD OF ENTERIC PATHOGENS IN SWINE: OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE

Author
item Harvey, Roger
item SCOTT, H - CVM, TX A&M UNIV

Submitted to: Preharvest and Postharvest Food Safety
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2003
Publication Date: 5/3/2004
Citation: Harvey, R.B., Scott, H.M. 2004. Distribution and spread of enteric pathogens in swine: Outlook for the future. In: Beier, R.C., Pillai, S.D., Phillips, T.D., Ziprin, R.L., editors. Preharvest and Postharvest Food Safety: Contemporary Issues and Future Directions. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing Professional. p. 151-159.

Interpretive Summary: Certain bacteria, known as enteropathogens, can infect swine and may cause foodborne disease in humans. To reduce the risk to the food chain, it is important to decrease the prevalence of enteropathogens in swine. In this chapter, new methods for controlling enteropathogens are presented. If successfully adopted, these procedures could have a major economic impact on swine health and human health.

Technical Abstract: The job of protecting the pork chain from contamination with enteropathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter is a daunting, but not impossible task. In this chapter, pre-harvest food safety and some of the past and present control procedures for enteropathogens are discussed. However, the main focus is to anticipate new intervention strategies and production practices that aid in control of these pathogenic microorganisms. The authors try to discern if and how these procedures might affect pork production. Topics discussed include biosecurity, sanitation and disinfection, early weaning, alternatives to antibiotics, pre-slaughter transport and holding, augmentation of immune function, bio-terrorism, and food irradiation.