Seroprevalence of anti-HEV and anti-Salmonella antibodies in pigs at slaughter in Switzerland

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) and Salmonella bacteria are zoonotic pathogens that can be acquired by foodborne transmission because food animals, for example pigs, are recognized as a reservoir. The objectives of this study were to determine the seroprevalence of anti-HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-Salmonella antibodies from healthy pigs at slaughter in Switzerland, a country with a good health status of pig herds (e.g., eradication of enzootic pneumonia) compared with those of many countries in the European Union, and a rate of importation of live pigs that is very low (<1%). Based on pooled (diaphragm muscles from 3 to 5 animals per producer) meat juice samples, 120 (60%) of 200 and 8 (4%) of 200 samples were positive for anti-HEV IgG and anti-Salmonella antibodies, respectively. HEV seems to be highly prevalent among fattening pigs in Switzerland, whereas the low seroprevalence of anti-Salmonella IgG has not changed in recent years.