Wide variety of bioserotypes of enteropathogenic Yersinia in tonsils of English pigs at slaughter

The tonsils of 630 pigs from 45 English farms using three different rearing methods (Assured British Pigs, Open Management and Organic) were examined between 2003 and 2005 in order to investigate if the low incidence of human yersiniosis could be attributed to a low prevalence of enteropathogenic Yersinia among English pigs. In addition, different isolation methods were compared, possible differences in prevalence among pigs were studied, as well as the prevalence of different bioserotypes of enteropathogenic Yersinia. A high prevalence and a wide diversity of bioserotypes of enteropathogenic Yersinia compared to other European countries were observed. The prevalence of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica was 44% and of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis 18%. Overall, 60% of pigs carried enteropathogenic Yersinia. Y. pseudotuberculosis was detected on 78% of farms and Y. enterocolitica on 69%. The most common bioserotypes of Y. enterocolitica were 2/O:9 (33%) and 2/O:5 (26%), and of Y. pseudotuberculosis 2/O:3 (34%), 1/O:1 (26%) and 1/O:4 (24%). Cold enrichment gave the highest isolation rate for both species. Y. enterocolitica was more prevalent (P