Does pork pose a higher risk of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli compared to meat of other ungulates? A review

Fresh pork meat and pork products can be a vehicle for the transmission of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) to humans. The aim of this review article is to provide up-to-date information on the occurrence of STEC on pig farms around the world, the level of contamination of pork meat, and the ensuing risks for humans. The prevalence of STEC in finishing pigs ranges from 0.2 to 86.3% depending on the category of sample, the detection method and the hygiene conditions at the slaughterhouse. The incidence of stx -positive pork samples on the retail network worldwide varies between 1.1 and 80.0%. Confirmed detection of E. coli serogroup O157 ranges from 1.2 to 23.2% and that of serogroup non-O157 from 0.1 to 14.7%. Most isolates from the pig-farming environment or obtained from slaughterhouses contain the stx 2e gene which is associated with porcine oedema disease. STEC isolates obtained from pork meat belong to the low-to-moderate risk category, though they do have the potential to cause illness in humans. The most effective prevention is the perfect cooking of meat.