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SESC case archive

Year 2021 summary

During 2021, SESC managed a total of 106 inquiries. Of these, 6 were telematic inquiries and the remaining 100 corresponded to inquiries including samples for laboratory analysis.

Below is a summary of this year's data. We take this opportunity, once again, to thank the collaboration and effort of the pathologists and animal health experts of both  IRTA-CReSA, SDPV and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the UAB as well as the staff of the Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya (ASPCAT), especially to the official veterinary inspectors whose contributions make possible the success of this page and this service.

Evolution of the number of inquiries to SESC.

Distribution by species of inquiries received at SESC during 2021. The beef sector, once again, is the one that provides the most samples, especially for the confirmation of a diagnosis of zoonoses such as tuberculosis and bovine cysticercosis. This year, the number of inquiries from game meat processing facilities has increased, as has the number of poultry and rabbit inquiries. Notice the absence of equine inquiries.

It's time to take a look at the granuloma counter, since passive slaughterhouse surveillance is an essential tool in the control of animal Tuberculosis. This year, a total of 53 slaughterhouse findings compatible with tuberculosis from different species have been submitted to SESC. Of these, 25 have been confirmed as caused by mycobacteria of the M.tuberculosis complex, one as M.avium, and one is pending culture outcome. In summary, 49% (26/53) of the suspects were granulomas compatible with tuberculosis. This figure reflects an increase in tuberculosis outbreaks in domestic herds in our region, 5 of which have been detected through the SESC, highlighting the importance of the role of passive surveillance in slaughterhouses in the control of this disease. It is also worth mentioning the increase in the detection of cases of tuberculosis in wild boar: a total of 11 cases of tuberculosis in wild boar have been detected in 2021. Difficult access to wildlife tissue samples makes postmortem inspection in game meat processing facilities a very valuable source of information for wildlife tuberculosis control. From SESC we encourage the meat inspectors of these kind of establishments to routinely make incisions in the submandibular lymph nodes of wild boar, a target organ for the detection of this disease. (EV).

Table 1: Summary of suspected notifiable diseases and zoonoses submitted by meat inspectors and the other processes that have been diagnosed.

* This classification includes samples received in which, although the inspector did not suspect TB, the lesion was macroscopically compatible.

** TB diagnoses correspond to 15 tuberculous like lesions (LCT) in cattle (14 confirmed CMT PCR/culture, one PCR-pending culture), goats (1 LCT) and 11 LCT wild boar (11 confirmed CMT PCR/culture).

*** In all cases, it were isolated animals with PPA/PPC-compatible hemorrhagic diathesis lesions but were not strong suspicions, the infection was ruled out by molecular diagnosis (PCR) and histopathological study.

Table 2: Summary of consultations and diagnoses