Development of Gastroenteritis Animal Models and Biomarkers for Food borne Pathogens to Serve as Surrogate Models for Human Disease

This project uses animal models and develops biological measures for dose response studies with foodborne pathogens. The results are used to estimate the numbers of bacteria that are likely to produce illness in both healthy and at-risk persons. <P>

This project is intended to provide risk assessors with data for use in dose response modeling using the following research approaches:

<UL> <LI> Use and develop in vitro (cell culture) systems to assess the virulence of food isolates of Listeria monocytogenes and other food borne pathogenic bacteria. <LI>Determine the effects of the fat content of the food matrix on acid resistance and pathogenic potential of L. monocytogenes and other food borne pathogenic bacteria. <LI>Use and develop animal models of gastrointestinal illness to assess the virulence characteristics of Salmonella and Campylobacter. <LI>Identify biomarkers of exposure and susceptibility in a primate dose response model of L. monocytogenes. <LI>Identify biomarkers of exposure and susceptibility in human dose response studies with Vibrio cholera non-01 as a surrogate organism for V. parahaemolyticus. <LI>Use animal dose response models to develop biomarkers and surrogate endpoints which correlate with human gastrointestinal illness caused by pathogens and their toxins (e.g. staphlococcal enterotoxins). <LI> Explore the applicability of noninvasive human biomarkers of exposure and susceptibility.