Search

Foodborne bacteria transmitted to humans via contaminated pork have a major impact, especially in developed countries. Among these bacteria, Yersinia enterocolitica has been characterized by one of the highest scores of risk for pork consumers. Consumption of pork has been associated with Y. enterocolitica infections in epidemiological studies. Raw pork products have been widely investigated due to the link between Y. enterocolitica and pigs. The serological analysis method can be used for the estimation of the prevalence of Y. enterocolitica in pig herds. The method has an advantage further down in the meat chain, since infection of pigs during transport and in the lairage will not interfere with the results. Even cross-contamination during slaughtering and dressing will not affect the result. Not only blood but also muscle fluid can be used as the basis for the analysis. Real-time PCR is a powerful advancement of the basic PCR technique. A future challenge for sample preparation is to design PCR protocols that integrate DNA extraction and amplification in an automated manner. Additionally, high-throughput technologies such as DNA-microarray, mass spectrometry-PCR, and whole-genome sequencing platforms will strengthen the portfolio of molecular diagnostic tools for pathogenic Yersinia spp.