Original scientific paper

The assessment of gram-negative bacteria in the air of two swine nursery buildings

Suzana Hađina ; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ljiljana Pinter ; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Sunčica Uhitil ; Laboratory for Food Safety Control, Veterinary Station of City Zagreb, Croatia
Marija Vučemilo ; Department of Animal Hygiene, Environment and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Slavica Jakšić ; Laboratory for Food Safety Control, Veterinary Station of City Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Farm environments represent a source of gram-negative bacteria and endotoxins that generate the significant health risk of developing respiratory diseases in farm workers and animals. The aim of this study was to conduct a quantitative analysis of gram-negative airborne bacteria and their correlation with the total number of mesophilic bacteria and environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, air velocity, ammonia and carbon dioxide). Air sampling was conducted in two swine nursery buildings. The average values of the total number of mesophilic bacteria were 76×103 and 99×103 CFU/m3, while the range of gram-negative bacteria were 14103 and 22×103 CFU/m3 in both pig houses. The average concentration of gram-negative bacteria was approximately 18-22% in comparison with the total number of mesophilic bacteria. The number of total mesophilic and gramnegative bacteria was significantly lower in House 1 than in House 2 (P = 0.05). In both houses, there was no significant correlation between bacteria count and environmental parameters (P>0.05), except for a small negative correlation between gram-negative bacteria count and air velocity (r = -0.48, P = 0.05). The most prevalent species in both pig houses was Escherichia coli. The number of gram-negative bacteria in both swine houses exceeded recommended threshold limit values.

Keywords

mesophilic bacteria; gram-negative bacteria; air; swine nursery building

Hrčak ID:

45253

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/45253

Publication date:

16.6.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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