Project Number: 6612-32000-004-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: May 18, 2006
End Date: May 17, 2011

Objective:
The objectives of this proposed research will be to identify naturally occurring genetic variation in Salmonella enterica that correlates with the evolution of egg contamination and enhanced growth of the bacterium in the hen, the egg and in the on-farm environment and to then determine how different genetically defined strains vary in their pathobiology within the hen and how these differences affect the risk of egg contamination and the control of disease.

Approach:
Our approach will be to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur naturally in the genome of Salmonella enterica, link them to the phenotypic attributes of the pathogen that are relevant to causation of egg contamination and growth to high cell density, and develop a phylogenetic database that aids cost effective screening of the Salmonellae for these traits. We will then characterize the processes by which bacteria are deposited inside eggs laid by infected laying hens and assess the significance of these processes for proposed cost effective and feasible disease control measures such as egg refrigeration, diagnostic egg culturing, and assay of shell quality.