Study on the Contamination Rate of Sheep and Goat Carcasses with Campylobacter Species at Exportrt Abattoir
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Date
2008-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Campy/obaeter jejlmi and C. coli arc frequent worldwide causes of footl-borne gastroenteritis in
humans. A study on the prevalencc of thcrmophilic Celllifly/obaeter specics frum thc carcusses of
slaughtered sheep and goats were undertaken at Hashim Nuru Jiru Ethiopia livestock and meat
import-exporter (HELM IX) export abattoir in Oebre-Zeit, Ethiopia from November 2007 to April
2008. A total of 218 sheep and 180 goat carcasses (398 totul sumplcs) were cxamincd fcoin
carcass swabs taken from crutch, abdomcn, thorux and breust areas. Frum. cuch slaughtcred
animal, carcass swab was taken only from one of these sites on the carcass but each swabbing site
was swabbed for three different operations in the abattoir namely before evisceration, after
evisceration and after washing. A total of 654 swab samples were collected from 218 sheep
carcasses comprised of 56 crutch swabs, 49 abdomen swabs, 50 thorax swabs and 63 breast
swabs before evisceration, after evisceration and after. washing. Similarly, 540 swabs from 180
goat carcasses were collected consisting of 52 crutch swabs, 46 abdomen swabs. 42 thorax swnbs
and 40 breast swabs from each of the three slaughter operations. Thus from the three operations a
total of 1194 swabs were analyzed. Bacteriological analysis of the samples was conducted in the
Microbiology laboratory, Faculty of Veterinury Medicine, Dehre-Zcit flllluwing the techniques
recommended by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO, 2002).
From a total of 398 carcasses examined, 40 carcasses were positive for Campylobactcr with
contamination rate of 10%. Per species contamination rate with either C. jejzmi or C. coli were
10.6% (n=218) and 9.4% (n=180) for sheep and goat carcasses respectively. However,
statistically significant difference was not detected in the rate of carcass contamination between
sheep and goat carcasses (p=0.72). The most prevalent thermophilic .C ampylob(lcter species
recovered from the sheep and goat carcasses was C. jejl/Ili accounting for 7.3% (n=398),
followed by C. coli 2.7% (n= 398). Out of the 40 positive samples the proportion of the
C~pylobacter species was 72.5% and 27.5% for C. jejl/Ill and C. coli respectively. This
variation in the isolation rate between the two Campylobacter species was slutistically significant
(P:=O.003). Though there was no statistically significant difTcrence (1'=0.57) in the rate of carcass
contamination among the four swabbing sites, the highest contamination rate was observed in the
breast area at a rate of 12.6% (n=103) followed by abdomen with contamination rate of 11.6%
(n=95). Hilihest rate of carcass contamination was observed after evisceration as compared to
prior evisceration and after washing (p=O.OOO). Washing of the carcass did not reduce carcasscontmnination in the slaughtered shcep (x,2=O. 18; P=O.68). however there was n substantial
reduction in the level of curcuss contllJlli.mtiulI uOcr wushing in gmit e .. reusses «x,2;,;; 10.72:
P=O.OOI).
'Ine present study revealed the existence of severe cross contuminutiun during shlllghier
operations particularly during evisceration. Carcass contamination by Campylobacter can be
reduced, and thus its public health impact, through good hygienic practices in the ub.lltoir.
Keywords: Abattoir, C.jejrmi, C. coli, Debre-Zeit, Ethiopia, sheep and goat carcass.
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Keywords
Abattoir, C.jejrmi, C. coli, Debre-Zeit, Ethiopia, sheep and goat carcass