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Bacteriological Evaluations of Swine Exposed to Lethal Levels of Gamma Radiation¹

University of Tennessee Agricultural Research Laboratory, Oak Ridge 37830²

Abstract

BACTERIOLOGICAL studies were conducted on swine exposed to a total air dose of 700 R at a rate of 1 R or 45 R/min. of gamma radiation. Blood, muscle, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes were cultured 10 days postirradiation and muscle again 5 days post-slaughter during which time the carcasses had hung in a cooler. A bacteremic state was not detected in the 1 R/min. group nor was there a greater incidence of bacterial isolates from the irradiated carcasses. All animals exposed to 45 R/min. developed a bacteremia at least once during the 10-day postirradiation period, but this bacteremia was not consistent within the group. Bacterial isolates from the muscles of irradiated animals at slaughter and 5 days later were consistently higher than isolates from controls. Pathologic changes observed in the tissues at slaughter were similar in both groups of animals but were more extensive in the swine exposed to 45 R/minute. Lesions seen were hemorrhagic in nature and indicated injury to the circulatory system.

¹ This manuscript is published with the permission of the Dean of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, Knoxville.

² Operated by the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission under Contract No. AT-40-1-GEN-242.