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<OL> <LI> Investigate foodborne pathogens obtained from commercial poultry flocks. <BR> A. Assess the prevalence of leading foodborne bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter, Salmonella,and Listeria) for two major commodities: chicken and turkey production. <BR>B. Determine for each pathogen the diversity of its population on poultry farms, after transportation to the processing plant, and at post-chill (i.e., assessment of the different types of Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter on farms and at the slaughter plant)
<LI>Investigate the epidemiology of Salmonella isolated from commercial swineherds. <BR>A. Determine the prevalence of Salmonella serovars. <BR>B. Determine the relatedness of phenotypically similar and dissimilar strains. <LI> Determine the means by which Salmonella obtained from production animals encode and transfer antibiotic resistance. <BR>A. Determine the genetic basis for antibiotic resistance in these strains. <BR>B. Determine whether antibiotic resistance genes can be transferred among and between bacterial species. <BR>C. Investigate whether on-farm use of antibiotics contributes to the existence of antibiotic resistant isolates.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The potential for foodborne infection by bacteria derived from swine and poultry is great. This proposal seeks to assess the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria in commercial swineherds and poultry flocks.
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APPROACH: We will collect fecal samples from swine and poultry farms in North Carolina and culture these samples for Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria bacteria. We will investigate the relatedness of isolates within and among farms using phenotypic and genotypic characterization methods, such as amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. We will also determine the extent and types of antimicrobial resistance present in these strains.