Occurrence of Listeria species in an abattoir for cattle and pigs in Bosnia and Hercegovina.

Altogether 496 samples of meat, lymph nodes, process water and swabs from different places in the abattoir were examined for the presence of Listeria spp. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 31 (6%) and other Listeria spp. from 65 (13%) samples L. monocytogenes was isolated from 2 of 10 beef meat samples, 4 of 50 pig meat samples and 1 of 21 lymph nodes of pigs. No Listeria bacteria were isolated from lymph nodes of cattle. The highest percentage of Listeria was recovered from the unclean sections (cattle 22% and pigs 27%) and the highest frequency was observed during the winter months.