Distribution and tracking of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in a free-range pig abattoir and processing plant

Abstract

The presence and genetic diversity of Clostridium difficile and C. perfringens along the slaughtering process of pigs reared in a free-range system was assessed. A total of 270 samples from trucks, lairage, slaughter line and quartering were analyzed, and recovered isolates were toxinotyped and genotyped. C. difficile and C. perfringens were retrieved from 14.4% and 12.6% of samples, respectively. The highest percentage of positive samples for C. difficile was detected in trucks (80%) whereas C. perfringens was more prevalent in cecal and colonic samples obtained in the slaughter line (85% and 45%, respectively). C. difficile isolates (n = 105) were classified into 17 PCR ribotypes (including 010, 078, and 126) and 95 AFLP genotypes. C. perfringens isolates (n = 85) belonged to toxinotypes A (94.1%) and C (5.9%) and were classified into 80 AFLP genotypes. The same genotypes of C. difficile and C. perfringens were isolated from different pigs and occasionally from environmental samples, suggesting a risk of contaminated meat products.

Keywords: Abattoir; Clostridium difficile; Clostridium perfringens; Free-range pig; Lairage; Slaughter line.