A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs
Authors
Uzelac, Aleksandra
Betić, Nikola
Karabasil, Neđeljko

Ćirković, Vladimir

Đurković-Đaković, Olgica

Klun, Ivana

Article (Published version)
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As pork is an important source for Toxoplasma gondii infection, we have analyzed T. gondii genotypes and toxoplasmosis prevalence in pigs in Serbia in the context of production statistics and economics to assess the specific risk to public health. Genotyping was performed using MnPCR-RFLP; T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies were detected using a modified agglutination test (MAT); and statistical data were extracted from official records and provided by government authorities. The results indicate that, from 2006 to 2021, the median number of annually slaughtered pigs was 5.6 million, yet only 36.1% were processed by abattoirs. The remainder were “backyard pigs” slaughtered on family farms and homesteads. Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in market-weight (MW) pigs prior to 2006 was 15.2%, and was 15.1% in 2019. The seroprevalence in owned city cats, likely infected by livestock meat, was 33.2%. ToxoDB#1 was identified in pig tissues. The results indicate that backyard pigs are the backbone o...f the industry and provide as much as 60% of the pork in Serbia. The seroprevalence in pigs and city cats shows that farms are reservoirs for the parasite. Thus, innovative means of reducing T. gondii infection designed with backyard farmers in mind are needed to reduce the risk to public health.
Keywords:
Toxoplasma gondii / backyard pigs / prevalence / public health / public health / biosecurity / oocystsSource:
Microorganisms, 2023, 11, 7, 1857-Publisher:
- Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Funding / projects:
- Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, Grant no. 200015 (University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research) (RS-200015)
- Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, Grant no. 200050 (Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade) (RS-200050)
- Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, Grant no. 200143 (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) (RS-200143)
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Institut za medicinska istraživanjaTY - JOUR AU - Uzelac, Aleksandra AU - Betić, Nikola AU - Karabasil, Neđeljko AU - Ćirković, Vladimir AU - Đurković-Đaković, Olgica AU - Klun, Ivana PY - 2023 UR - http://rimi.imi.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1328 AB - As pork is an important source for Toxoplasma gondii infection, we have analyzed T. gondii genotypes and toxoplasmosis prevalence in pigs in Serbia in the context of production statistics and economics to assess the specific risk to public health. Genotyping was performed using MnPCR-RFLP; T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies were detected using a modified agglutination test (MAT); and statistical data were extracted from official records and provided by government authorities. The results indicate that, from 2006 to 2021, the median number of annually slaughtered pigs was 5.6 million, yet only 36.1% were processed by abattoirs. The remainder were “backyard pigs” slaughtered on family farms and homesteads. Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in market-weight (MW) pigs prior to 2006 was 15.2%, and was 15.1% in 2019. The seroprevalence in owned city cats, likely infected by livestock meat, was 33.2%. ToxoDB#1 was identified in pig tissues. The results indicate that backyard pigs are the backbone of the industry and provide as much as 60% of the pork in Serbia. The seroprevalence in pigs and city cats shows that farms are reservoirs for the parasite. Thus, innovative means of reducing T. gondii infection designed with backyard farmers in mind are needed to reduce the risk to public health. PB - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) T2 - Microorganisms T2 - Microorganisms T1 - A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs IS - 7 SP - 1857 VL - 11 DO - 10.3390/microorganisms11071857 ER -
@article{ author = "Uzelac, Aleksandra and Betić, Nikola and Karabasil, Neđeljko and Ćirković, Vladimir and Đurković-Đaković, Olgica and Klun, Ivana", year = "2023", abstract = "As pork is an important source for Toxoplasma gondii infection, we have analyzed T. gondii genotypes and toxoplasmosis prevalence in pigs in Serbia in the context of production statistics and economics to assess the specific risk to public health. Genotyping was performed using MnPCR-RFLP; T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies were detected using a modified agglutination test (MAT); and statistical data were extracted from official records and provided by government authorities. The results indicate that, from 2006 to 2021, the median number of annually slaughtered pigs was 5.6 million, yet only 36.1% were processed by abattoirs. The remainder were “backyard pigs” slaughtered on family farms and homesteads. Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in market-weight (MW) pigs prior to 2006 was 15.2%, and was 15.1% in 2019. The seroprevalence in owned city cats, likely infected by livestock meat, was 33.2%. ToxoDB#1 was identified in pig tissues. The results indicate that backyard pigs are the backbone of the industry and provide as much as 60% of the pork in Serbia. The seroprevalence in pigs and city cats shows that farms are reservoirs for the parasite. Thus, innovative means of reducing T. gondii infection designed with backyard farmers in mind are needed to reduce the risk to public health.", publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)", journal = "Microorganisms, Microorganisms", title = "A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs", number = "7", pages = "1857", volume = "11", doi = "10.3390/microorganisms11071857" }
Uzelac, A., Betić, N., Karabasil, N., Ćirković, V., Đurković-Đaković, O.,& Klun, I.. (2023). A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs. in Microorganisms Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)., 11(7), 1857. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11071857
Uzelac A, Betić N, Karabasil N, Ćirković V, Đurković-Đaković O, Klun I. A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs. in Microorganisms. 2023;11(7):1857. doi:10.3390/microorganisms11071857 .
Uzelac, Aleksandra, Betić, Nikola, Karabasil, Neđeljko, Ćirković, Vladimir, Đurković-Đaković, Olgica, Klun, Ivana, "A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs" in Microorganisms, 11, no. 7 (2023):1857, https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11071857 . .