Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-21T06:48:40.362Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The survival of foot-and-mouth disease virus in meat and offal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

W. M. Henderson  and
J. B. Brooksby
W. M. Henderson
Affiliation:
From the Research Institute (Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Committee), Pirbright, Surrey
J. B. Brooksby
Affiliation:
From the Research Institute (Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Committee), Pirbright, Surrey
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Quantitative studies have been made of the survival of foot-and-mouth disease virus in beef and beef offals after storage at temperatures employed in the imported-meat trade.

The survival of virus is closely associated with the hydrogen-ion concentration of the tissue; thus the acidity of rigor mortis of muscular tissue rapidly causes inactivation. Quick-freezing of beef suspends acid formation and active virus was demonstrated for so long as the meat was kept frozen.

Thawing of quick-frozen meat initiates the suspended acid formation at an accelerated rate and rapidly produces a medium unsuitable for virus survival.

Liver, kidney, rumen, lymph node and blood from diseased cattle have all been shown to be highly infective and to remain so if stored frozen. Acid formation in these tissues and in blood is not on the same scale as in muscle, and prolonged survival of virus is more likely even with delay in freezing and after thawing. This remains true of lymph node and of residual blood in vessels of a carcass in which the development of rigor mortis is complete.

Feeding of infective offal to swine under experimental conditions resulted in the appearance of the disease.

The significance of these observations is discussed in relation to the distribution of these products constituting a risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease.

We are indebted to Dr Ian A. Galloway, Director of this Institute, Mr L. B. A. Grace, Chief Technical Adviser on Meat Inspection of the Ministry of Food and Mr R. Bremner, Chief Executive Officer of the Meat Importers' National (Defence) Association, Ltd., for their help and advice while this work was in progress.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr W. J. Brownsea.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 46 , Issue 4 , December 1948 , pp. 394 - 402
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1948

References

REFERENCES

Andrews, W. H., Dobson, N., Bannatyne, T., Davies, G. O., Simmins, G. B., Watktns, C. V. & Evans, J. T. (1931). Rep. Ft. & Mth. Dis. Comm., Lond., no.4.Google Scholar
Bate-Smith, E. C. (1944). Modern Refrig. 47, 267.Google Scholar
Brewster, J. A. (1944). Proc. Inst. Refrig. 40, 133.Google Scholar
Diseases of Animals Acts and Orders of the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries Thereunder, and Amendments. (1894, et seq.) London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Henderson, W. M. (1945). The quantitative study of foot-and-mouth disease virus. Thesis, University of Edinburgh. In Press as an Agricultural Research Council Report.Google Scholar
Hof, W. (1933). Die Tenazitat des Maul- und Klauenseuche-virus in der Skelettmuskulatur von Meerschweinen unter Berüoksichtigung der Wasser-stoffionenkonzentration. Thesis, Hanover Veterinary School.Google Scholar
Meara, P. J. (1947). Onderstepoort J. vet. Sci. 21, 467.Google Scholar
Reed, L. T. & Muench, H. (1938). Amer. J. Hyg. 27, 493.Google Scholar
Stockman, S., Minett, F. C., Davies, G. O. & Watt, W. (1927). Rep. Ft. & Mth. Dis. Comm., Lond., no. 2.Google Scholar