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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #92674
Title: ARCOBACTER CRYAEROPHILUS AND ARCOBACTER BUTZLERI ISOLATED FROM PREPUTIAL FLUID OF BOARS AND FATTENING PIGS IN BRAZIL

Author
item OLIVEIRA DE, S - CPVDF-FEPAGRO, BRAZIL
item Baetz, Albert
item Wesley, Irene
item KADER, I - FACULDADE FED CIENCIAS
item UZEDA, M - INSTITUTO MICROBIOLOGIA

Submitted to: Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/8/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Arcobacter butzleri is a newly described microbe which is present in healthy livestock and also causes gastroenteritis in humans. The purpose of this study was to determine if A. butzleri is present in market weight boars in Brazil. Arcobacter was detected overall in 27% of preputial swabs collected from 67 boars. A. butzleri was identified by molecular methods in 6% of the animals. This study indicates that Arcobacter is present in market weight boars. The rapid methods used in this study will benefit government agencies in screening for emerging foodborne pathogens in food.

Technical Abstract: Arcobacter spp. have been isolated from aborted farm animals and from cases of human enteritis worldwide. Recently Arcobacter has been isolated from swine in Brazil. The goals of this study were to examine the extent of Arcobacter infection in male pigs in Brazil, and to classify the isolates that were recovered by phenotype and ribotype analysis. Arcobacter spp. were isolated from 28% (2 of 7) boars from a herd with reproductive problems, and from preputial swabs of 26.7% (16 of 60) of hogs at slaughter. A total of 18 isolates were obtained. The isolates were classified as A. cryaerophilus 1B (50%), A. cryaerophilus 1A (44.4%), and A. butzleri (5.6%). It is not known if Arcobacter infection in swine presents an economic problem to swine producers in Brazil in terms of reproductive losses, but the isolation of the organism from market hogs may present a public health risk resulting in possible contamination of pork products.