ZOONOTIC DISEASES IN ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: IMPLICATIONS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND AGRIRESEARCH TO COMBAT THE PATHOGENS

<b>Project Methods</b><br> Due to the wide variety of zoonotic pathogens that may emerge as potential public health threats, the specific methods will vary from individual project to project. However, our underlying strategy is to use a hypothesis-driven research approach to provide sound scientific data concerning the research problems investigated.Research may include development and/or utilization of animal models of infection to characterize mechanisms of pathogenesis and pathogen/host interactions. These include studies of pathogenesis and comparative pathogenesis, interspecies transmission of pathogens, understanding the molecular basis of pathogenesis, studies of pathogen and host gene expression and characterization of host genetic risk factors for disease susceptibility.We will exploit current advances in the detection of gene and protein expression patterns to assess disease progression, and to seek unique host cellular signatures indicative of infection and/or protective immune responses. Studies of the natural rates of horizontal gene transfer, especially of plasmid-encoded toxins and antibiotic resistance factors, in the microbial ecosystems likely to be most exposed to foodborne pathogens.For the studies on epidemiology of infections in natural non-human and human hosts, we will use extensive in-field sampling strategies coupled with epidemiological practices targeted at identifying factors that influence the distribution, acquisition, course and severity of human disease. This will also include studies on pathogens in the environment and non-food-producing vectors, when those studies may contribute to the understanding of factors bearing on emergence, transmission, persistence, development of virulence, host switching, and/or epidemic/epizootiologic thresholds as they directly pertain to human disease.The unique gnotobiotic and specific pathogen free animal facilities (piglets and calves) available at the FAHRP will be used to study the microbial community population structure, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics and impact of probiotic or prebiotic or symbiotic interventions for infectious diseases using these animals as models. This approach has provided researchers with the unparalleled opportunity to discover how diet and bacterial populations in newborn animals modulate and influence the animals' response to infection.For food safety studies, targeting each specific group of individuals (producers) with tailored food safety messages that address their biases and pre-existing beliefs will enhance adoption and assist them in making more informed decisions about their health. This mental model approach to message development and delivery can be applied to a variety of topics and will enhance the effectiveness of other outreach and engagement activities.