Review of the Food-borne Zoonoses Research ... - ARCHIVE: Defra

Project code: OZO316
Project title: Epidemiological studies of Salmonella in pigs and
control by intervention.
Start date (dd/mm/yy): 01/08/2000
End date (dd/mm/yy): 31/12/2006
£1,222,749
Total cost:
Affiliation: VLA
Sub-contractor(s):
Project code: OZ0323
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Project title: An integrated risk based approach to the control of
Salmonella in UK pig farms.
Start date (dd/mm/yy): 01/04/2005
End date (dd/mm/yy): 31/10/2008
£1,053,974.00
Total cost:
Affiliation: VLA
Sub-contractor(s): Health Protection Agency
University of Liverpool,
Imperial College,
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,
University of Wageningen
Abstract of research
Salmonella bacteria live in the gut of all animals including man and some 15,000 human
cases are reported annually. About 1500 cases are caused by Salmonella Typhimurium
(STM), which is found in cattle, poultry and pigs. STM occurs in 1/8th of British slaughter
pigs potentially leading to human disease. The Industry established the ZAP control
programme and the Food Standards Agency aims to reduce salmonella in pigs by 50%.
By understanding the epidemiology of salmonella infection in pigs and through the
foodchain we can devise control measures to reduce the human health risk.
Salmonella infection can be detected by culture of the bacteria, which shows status
today, or by testing for circulating antibodies which measures lifetime exposure and we
used both methods. A survey of 107 farms showed that most (>50%) have a low
prevalence of infection (