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Slaughterhouse inspections play a crucial role in the sanitary control of zoonoses and foodborne diseases. This study aimed to identify and analyze the frequencies of lymph node diseases in cattle slaughtered for human consumption, using the samples sent to the anatomic pathology service of the Federal Laboratory for Agricultural Defense (Laboratório Federal de Defesa Agropecuária), Minas Gerais, Brazil, from January 2015 to September 2022. In total, 2000 lymph node samples were analyzed, and additional information was individually retrieved. Lesions were most frequently identified in thoracic lymph nodes. Bacterial isolation and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed using samples suspected of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis cases accounted for 89.3% of the samples. Histopathology was more sensitive than other ancillary tests for diagnosing tuberculosis. Paraffin-embedded tissues from lymphoma cases were subjected to immunophenotyping using anti-CD3 and anti-CD79a immunohistochemistry. Frozen and/or paraffin-embedded tissues from lymphoma cases were used to identify the enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) retrovirus through qPCR. Other diagnoses included primary (T- and B-cell lymphoma) and metastatic neoplasms (squamous cell carcinoma, pulmonary adenocarcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, undifferentiated adenocarcinoma, undifferentiated sarcoma, undifferentiated round cell tumor, mesothelioma, hepatic carcinoid, meningioma, and seminoma), actinogranulomas (pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis [actinobacillosis and actinomycosis]), idiopathic lymphadenitis (neutrophilic and/or histiocytic, granulomatous, and suppurative), and miscellaneous nonspecific lymphadenopathies (depletion/lymphoid atrophy, lymphangiectasia, erythrocyte drainage, parasitic eosinophilic lymphadenitis, follicular hyperplasia, and toxic granulomatous lymphadenitis). The combination of histopathology with complementary techniques is important for successful diagnosis, especially in complex cases of high epidemiological, economic, and zoosanitary importance, such as tuberculosis and EBL.

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Surveillance of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) lesions in animals at slaughterhouses is useful for controlling and eradicating the disease, besides providing epidemiological information. This study aimed to identify risk factors for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) condemnation in cattle at slaughterhouses in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A logistic regression analysis was conducted using data on bTB-related condemnations. Variables examined included animal origin, number of slaughtered animals, season, inspection level (state or municipality), animal sex, and slaughterhouse location. A total of 297,817 Animal Transport Guides were evaluated, representing the transportation of 3497,521 animals. Among these, 6097 (2.05%) had at least one animal condemned due to bTB lesions. Risk factors for condemnation included larger batch sizes, female animals, slaughterhouses, and animal origin. The higher condemnation frequency in females and regions with dairy farms suggests links to milk production. Variation in condemnation rates by inspection level and slaughterhouse highlights the need for standardized procedures in identifying bTB lesions. Identifying these risk factors enables targeted interventions to enhance disease control and eradication efforts.

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In late October 2021, one of the veterinarians and the occupational physician of a bovine and swine abattoir from Entre Ríos Province, Argentina were alerted about workers with atypical pneumonia symptoms, raising suspicious of a possible Q fever outbreak. An outbreak epidemiological investigation was carried out. Analysis was based on the description of the study population, according to gender, age, symptoms, and position within the abattoir, as well as on outbreak epidemic curve and its probable origin. Cases of Q fever in the workers were confirmed by serology. Measurements of the association between the evaluated variables and the risk of exposure were investigated and calculated as attack rates. The outbreak occurred between October and November 2021, symptomatically affecting 11 workers, out of a total exposed population of 49 individuals. The index case was a 33-year-old male who started with symptoms on 27 October 2021, and the outbreak extended for at least 17 days. Workers in the clean zone of the slaughter floor had a 4.68 times higher risk of contracting Q fever than people located in other areas. Importantly, two pregnant cows were slaughtered a few days before the outbreak began, which could have been the origin of the outbreak. The present study demonstrates the urgent need to consider Q fever when diagnosing abortive diseases of ruminants in Argentina, as well as in zoonotic disease epidemiological surveillance to inform all actors of the health system.

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Abstract We subtyped 32 Salmonella enterica strains isolated from carcasses (n = 10), theenvironment (n = 14), head meat (n = 1) and viscera washing and chilling water (n = 7) in provin-cial abattoirs with no Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system from Buenos Aires,Argentina, before and after implementing improvement actions. Pulsed-field gel electrophore-sis (PFGE) was carried out using the XbaI restriction enzyme. Strains belonged to six serovars,from which 10 restriction patterns were obtained (five unique patterns and five clusters). Wefound different clones of S. enterica serovars in the same abattoir by XbaI-PFGE. In addition topromoting good hygiene practices, the implementation of an HACCP plan is necessary to meetthe zero-tolerance criteria for Salmonella on beef.

Resumen Subtipificamos en total 32 cepas de Salmonella enterica aisladas de carcasas(n = 10), medio ambiente (n = 14), carne de cabeza (n = 1) y agua de lavado y enfriamientode vísceras (n = 7) en frigoríficos provinciales de Buenos Aires (Argentina) sin análisis de peli-gros y puntos críticos de control (hazard analysis critical control point [HACCP]); la toma demuestras se efectuó antes y después de implementar acciones de mejora. Se llevó a cabo elec-troforesis en gel de campo pulsado (PFGE) utilizando la enzima de restricción XbaI. Las cepaspertenecían a 6 serovares y presentaron 10 patrones de restricción (5 patrones únicos y 5 clus-ters). Demostramos la presencia de diferentes serovares de S. enterica en un mismo frigorífico.

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Toxoplasmosis is mainly transmitted to human beings through the consumption of contaminated food, and several outbreaks caused by infected meat consumption have been reported in Brazil. We performed a systematic literature review on the prevalence and risk factors for toxoplasmosis in slaughtered animals and performed a meta-analysis of its prevalence for different species and regions. Furthermore, we also discussed the infectivity of seropositive animals, risk factors, and preventive strategies. In the meta-analysis, the overall prevalence estimates for poultry, ostrich, goats, swine, equids, sheep, and bovines were 42.4, 40.4, 23.0, 19.9, 19.1, 17.3, and 16.2%, respectively. Regarding the Brazilian regions, the highest prevalence values were detected for bovines and equids in the South (32.3 and 34.4%, respectively) and swine, goats, sheep, and poultry in the Northeast (29.3, 23.0, 22.9, and 69.8%%, respectively). High proportions of Toxoplasma gondii viability in bioassay conducted on seropositive animals were seen for sheep (34/40 = 85%) and swine (12/15 = 80%). Toxoplasma gondii infections are widespread on Brazilian farms, and the summarized data allow the establishment of high-priority areas and/or species for the adoption of preventive strategies to control this parasite at different levels of the food chain.

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We subtyped 32 Salmonella enterica strains isolated from carcasses (n=10), the environment (n=14), head meat (n=1) and viscera washing and chilling water (n=7) in provincial abattoirs with no Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system from Buenos Aires, Argentina, before and after implementing improvement actions. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was carried out using the XbaI restriction enzyme. Strains belonged to six serovars, from which 10 restriction patterns were obtained (five unique patterns and five clusters). We found different clones of S. enterica serovars in the same abattoir by XbaI-PFGE. In addition to promoting good hygiene practices, the implementation of an HACCP plan is necessary to meet the zero-tolerance criteria for Salmonella on beef.

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During bullfights, bulls undergo physiometabolic responses such as glycolysis, anaerobic reactions, cellular oedema, splenic contraction, and hypovolemic shock. The objective of this review article is to present the current knowledge on the factors that cause stress in fighting bulls during bullfights, including their dying process, by discussing the neurobiology and their physiological responses. The literature shows that biochemical imbalances occur during bullfights, including hypercalcaemia, hypermagnesaemia, hyperphosphataemia, hyperlactataemia, and hyperglycaemia, associated with increased endogenous cortisol and catecholamine levels. Creatine kinase, citrate synthase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels also increase, coupled with decreases in pH, blood bicarbonate levels, excess base, partial oxygen pressure, and oxygen saturation. The intense exercise also causes a marked decrease of glycogen in type I and II muscle fibres that can produce myoglobinuria and muscular necrosis. Other observations suggest the presence of osteochondrosis. The existing information allows us to conclude that during bullfights, bulls face energy and metabolic demands due to the high intensity and duration of the exercise performed, together with muscular injuries, physiological changes, and high enzyme concentrations. In addition, the final stage of the bullfight causes a slow dying process for an animal that is sentient and conscious of its surroundings.

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We pose, based on a neurobiological examination, that events that occur around the time of slaughter have the potential to intensify the pain response, through the processes of sensitisation and enhanced transmission. Sensitisation, or an enhanced response to painful stimuli, is a well-discussed phenomenon in the human medical literature, which can arise from previous injury to an area, inflammatory reactions, or previous overstimulation of the stress axes. A number of events that occur prior to arrival at, or in the slaughterhouse, may lead to presence of these factors. This includes previous on-farm pathology, injuries arising from transport and handling and lack of habituation to humans. Whilst there is limited evidence of a direct effect of these on the processes of sensitisation in animals at slaughter, by analogy with the human neurobiology literature the connection seems plausible. In this review a neurobiological approach is taken to discuss this hypothesis in the light of basic science, and extrapolations from existing literature on the slaughter of ruminants. To confirm the postulated link between events at slaughter, and processes of hypersensitisation, further dedicated study is required.

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Results on appropriate, inappropriate, and painful slaughtering methods of river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) are discussed. Undesirable consequences of poor desensitization and/or slaughtering procedures, causing pain and suffering to animals, are also approached. These considerations are relevant as unsuitable methods can reduce consumer acceptance and commercial value of the meat obtained from animals undergoing deficient slaughtering procedures due to a lack of concern regarding their welfare. Relevant databases –Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMedwere searched for this review, including keywords such as pain, slaughter, stunning, Bubalus bubalis, and animal welfare. A detailed description of river buffalo's encephalic anatomy was compared to cattle concerning correct stunning and slaughter methods. The neurobiological processes of pain felt by animals when inadequately desensitized was also examined. Finally, recent findings on stunning methods for buffaloes were discussed, including encephalography. It was concluded that different animal species may require different stunning methods; at the same time, the optimal anatomical site also varies between species. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to train the personnel performing these procedures (transport, stunning, slaughtering) to avoid mishandling that jeopardizes animal welfare by generating stimuli that trigger neurophysiological responses and, in turn, translate into pain during slaughter and reduced meat quality.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

Results on appropriate, inappropriate, and painful slaughtering methods of river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) are discussed. Undesirable consequences of poor desensitization and/or slaughtering procedures, causing pain and suffering to animals, are also approached. These considerations are relevant as unsuitable methods can reduce consumer acceptance and commercial value of the meat obtained from animals undergoing deficient slaughtering procedures due to a lack of concern regarding their welfare. Relevant databases –Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed– were searched for this review, including keywords such as pain, slaughter, stunning, Bubalus bubalis, and animal welfare. A detailed description of river buffalo's encephalic anatomy was compared to cattle concerning correct stunning and slaughter methods. The neurobiological processes of pain felt by animals when inadequately desensitized was also examined. Finally, recent findings on stunning methods for buffaloes were discussed, including encephalography. It was concluded that different animal species may require different stunning methods; at the same time, the optimal anatomical site also varies between species. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to train the personnel performing these procedures (transport, stunning, slaughtering) to avoid mishandling that jeopardizes animal welfare by generating stimuli that trigger neurophysiological responses and, in turn, translate into pain during slaughter and reduced meat quality.

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