TY  - JOUR
AU  - Uzelac, Aleksandra
AU  - Betić, Nikola
AU  - Karabasil, Nedjeljko
AU  - Ćirković, Vladimir
AU  - Djurković-Djaković, Olgica
AU  - Klun, Ivana
PY  - 2023
UR  - https://vet-erinar.vet.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3136
AB  - As pork is an important source for Toxoplasma gondii infection, we have analyzed T. gondii
genotypes and toxoplasmosis prevalence in pigs in Serbia in the context of production statistics and
economics to assess the specific risk to public health. Genotyping was performed using MnPCRRFLP; T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies were detected using a modified agglutination test (MAT);
and statistical data were extracted from official records and provided by government authorities.
The results indicate that, from 2006 to 2021, the median number of annually slaughtered pigs
was 5.6 million, yet only 36.1% were processed by abattoirs. The remainder were “backyard pigs”
slaughtered on family farms and homesteads. Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in market-weight (MW)
pigs prior to 2006 was 15.2%, and was 15.1% in 2019. The seroprevalence in owned city cats, likely
infected by livestock meat, was 33.2%. ToxoDB#1 was identified in pig tissues. The results indicate
that backyard pigs are the backbone of the industry and provide as much as 60% of the pork in
Serbia. The seroprevalence in pigs and city cats shows that farms are reservoirs for the parasite. Thus,
innovative means of reducing T. gondii infection designed with backyard farmers in mind are needed
to reduce the risk to public health.
PB  - MDPI
T2  - Microorganisms
T1  - A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs
VL  - 11
IS  - 7
SP  - 1857
DO  - 10.3390/microorganisms11071857
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Uzelac, Aleksandra and Betić, Nikola and Karabasil, Nedjeljko and Ćirković, Vladimir and Djurković-Djaković, Olgica and Klun, Ivana",
year = "2023",
abstract = "As pork is an important source for Toxoplasma gondii infection, we have analyzed T. gondii
genotypes and toxoplasmosis prevalence in pigs in Serbia in the context of production statistics and
economics to assess the specific risk to public health. Genotyping was performed using MnPCRRFLP; T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies were detected using a modified agglutination test (MAT);
and statistical data were extracted from official records and provided by government authorities.
The results indicate that, from 2006 to 2021, the median number of annually slaughtered pigs
was 5.6 million, yet only 36.1% were processed by abattoirs. The remainder were “backyard pigs”
slaughtered on family farms and homesteads. Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in market-weight (MW)
pigs prior to 2006 was 15.2%, and was 15.1% in 2019. The seroprevalence in owned city cats, likely
infected by livestock meat, was 33.2%. ToxoDB#1 was identified in pig tissues. The results indicate
that backyard pigs are the backbone of the industry and provide as much as 60% of the pork in
Serbia. The seroprevalence in pigs and city cats shows that farms are reservoirs for the parasite. Thus,
innovative means of reducing T. gondii infection designed with backyard farmers in mind are needed
to reduce the risk to public health.",
publisher = "MDPI",
journal = "Microorganisms",
title = "A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs",
volume = "11",
number = "7",
pages = "1857",
doi = "10.3390/microorganisms11071857"
}

Uzelac, A., Betić, N., Karabasil, N., Ćirković, V., Djurković-Djaković, O.,& Klun, I.. (2023). A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs. in Microorganisms
MDPI., 11(7), 1857.
https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11071857

Uzelac A, Betić N, Karabasil N, Ćirković V, Djurković-Djaković O, Klun I. A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs. in Microorganisms. 2023;11(7):1857.
doi:10.3390/microorganisms11071857 .

Uzelac, Aleksandra, Betić, Nikola, Karabasil, Nedjeljko, Ćirković, Vladimir, Djurković-Djaković, Olgica, Klun, Ivana, "A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs" in Microorganisms, 11, no. 7 (2023):1857,
https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11071857 . .