West Virginia Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass quarantined four farms following the illegal importation of hogs from Ohio potentially exposed to tuberculosis.
The hogs were brought into the state on March 13 without health certificates. Lesions consistent with tuberculosis were discovered by State food safety personnel on March 21 in hogs being processed at custom meat plants. State inspectors were able to locate all but 5 to 8 of the 206 suspect animals which were euthanized and disposed of on March 24. Reportedly, hogs were also shipped to Pennsylvania (1 hog), Kentucky (6 hogs) and Virginia (14 hogs).
The Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Division condemned any carcasses remaining in the processing facilities and notified affected consumers before any of the meat had been consumed. Meat processed at custom slaughter facilities can only be consumed by the person who raised the animal, employees, family and non-paying guests.
The specific Mycobacterium involved in this case has not been publicly identified. The WV Department of Agriculture noted, however, that "the form of tuberculosis carried by the hogs is transmissible to humans through direct contact and through eating improperly cooked meat. Symptoms include respiratory problems. Once contracted, the disease is difficult to treat and eventually may cause lesions inside the lungs." Normal cooking will destroy the organism. Human infection is considered rare and of most concern in immune compromised individuals.
Pigs are susceptible to all three types of tubercle bacilli, but the avian form caused by Mycobacterium avium is most commonly isolated. M. avium infection in pigs is sub-clinical, non-progressive and does not spread between pigs. According to Ohio law, tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis is a reportable disease. Mycobacterium avium, however, is not on Ohio’s list of dangerously contagious or infectious and reportable diseases.
Sources:
West Virginia Department of Agriculture
The Merck Veterinary Manual