Warnick

Nontyphoidal Salmonella continues to be an important human health problem in the U.S. Most human infections are a result of foodborne transmission from livestock sources. The emergence of strains resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents has increased the risk of serious illness in people.

The Cornell University and Washington State University Zoonotic Research Units are collaborating to investigate the transmission of clinically important Salmonella strains between and within dairy herds. The goal is to decrease Salmonella infections in this important livestock reservoir and thereby decrease the risk of human infections.

The Cornell University study aims are: (1) Investigate factors affecting clinical outbreaks of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella in dairy herds (supported by industry funding). (2) Estimate infectious disease transmission parameters for MDR Salmonella Typhimurium. Mathematical transmission models will be used to investigate the intervention effects on Salmonella persistence. (3) Evaluate the genetic relationships among MDR Salmonella isolates from cattle and humans. We will use molecular (primarily DNA sequencing-based) and phenotype-based methods for subtype classification of Salmonella.

Results of this project will help reduce the occurrence of Salmonella in an important livestock reservoir and thereby decrease the risk of human infections.