Microbiological evaluation of carcasses of wild boar hunted in a hill area of northern Italy

This study evaluated the prevalence of potential pathogenic bacteria (mainly Campylobacter spp., but also Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella) in wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the hygiene of carcasses of wild boar hunted in a hill area of northern Italy during a hunting season (October to December). In total, 62 animals were submitted to microbiological analyses of the tonsils (detection of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes), caecal content (detection of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp.), mesenteric lymph glands (detection of Salmonella), and carcasses. In addition to analyzing pathogen prevalence and carcass hygiene of these animals, we performed an enumeration of total viable count (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and spores of sulfite-reducing clostridia. Influencing factors considered were sex, weight, and age of the animals and environmental temperature on the day of hunting. A high prevalence was observed for L. monocytogenes in tonsils (35.3%) and for Campylobacter spp. in caecal content (51.8%), whereas Salmonella enterica strains (mainly serovar Thompson) were only occasionally isolated (7% in caecal content and 3.5% in lymph glands). The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was influenced by animal age and environmental temperature. Campylobacter spp. were the only pathogens detected on the carcasses (16.7%). Carcasses were characterized by low levels of contamination: TVC, 3.21 6 0.80 log CFU/cm2, Enterobacteriaceae, 1.32 6 0.89 log CFU/cm2; E. coli, 1.31 6 0.93 log CFU/cm2; and occasional detection of low counts of staphylococci and clostridia. TVC was positively influenced only by high environmental temperature, and higher Enterobacteriaceae counts were detected on heavy male carcasses than on females. The results confirmed the potential role of wild boars as reservoirs for the most important foodborne pathogens. But a low carcass contamination level is achievable if hunters are properly trained about hygienic carcass management and slaughtering procedures.