Impact of Diet and Gut Microbial Ecology of Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance in Farm Animals

Objective

<ol> <li> Identify commensal sources of tetracycline resistance genes; <li> Evaluate
bacteriophage as agents of gene transfer; <li> Identify protozoal factors that affect
pathogen virulence in the rumen; <li> Identify dietary strategies to limit acidosis and
pathogen reservoirs.</ol>

More information

Approach: Isolate commensal bacteria from swine that share niches and exchange genes with
Campylobacter. Classify Campylobacter strains for antibiotic susceptibility and
amplify and sequence tet genes. Add carbadox to stimulate phage induced tylosin
resistance gene transfer in Brachyspira. Assay degree of phage induction and gene
transfer. Harvest protozoa from rumen contents and determine associated bacterial
populations using ARISA and BLAST. Culture single species of protozoa and allow them
to feed upon specific bacteria tagged with fluorescence. Examine protozoa for uptake
and sequestration of tagged bacteria. Identify compounds to defaunate the rumen and
verify reservoir hypothesis by loss of bacterial pathogens in ruminants. IBC-0260 BSL-Exempt; Recertified 9/08/10; IBC-0303 Recertified 06/07/10.

Investigators

Stanton, Thaddeus

Institution

USDA - Agricultural Research Service

Start date

2005

End date

2010

Funding Source

Agricultural Research Service

Project number

3625-31320-002-00

Accession number

409874