Source: UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI submitted to
ECOLOGY OF SALMONELLA AND SHIGA TOXIGENIC E. COLI IN SMALL RUMINANTS FOOD SYSTEMS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1008467
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
MO-HANC0001
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 29, 2015
Project End Date
Feb 26, 2018
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Pithua, P.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
(N/A)
COLUMBIA,MO 65211
Performing Department
Veterinary Medicine
Non Technical Summary
Ecology of foodborne pathogens in poultry, swine, and beef production systems in the United States has been extensively studied. However, there is a paucity of data on the presence, risk factors, and public health impact of foodborne bacteria from small ruminant food systems. The identities, characteristics, and public health risks of foodborne pathogens from sheep or goats produced in the United States are unknown. To date, there has been very little research on the sources and bacterial contamination risk levels of lamb and goat meat consumed in the United States.Our long-term goal is to better understand the factors leading to bacterial contamination of lamb and goat meat, and to identify the on-farm and postharvest management options for reducing microbiological food safety hazards in small ruminant food systems in the United States. The objective of this application is to identify and characterize foodborne bacteria in small ruminants entering the food supply. The following specific research aims are proposed to achieve this objective: (1) Quantify the prevalence of Salmonella and Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) serotypes O26, O45, O103, O111, O113, O121 and O145 and O157 in whole muscle lamb, mutton, and chevon cuts sold at retail stores in selected urban stores in Missouri; (2) Determine the prevalence and characterize serotypes, virulence profiles, and antibiotic resistance in Salmonella and Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) serotypes O26, O45, O103, O111, O113, O121, O145, and O157 shed by live pre-harvest sheep and goats in Missouri; and (3) Measure the associations between the fecal prevalence, environmental contamination, and carcass prevalence of Salmonella, and E. coli serotypes O26, O45, O103, O111, O113, O121, O145, and O157 in in sheep and goats at slaughter.Research samples and research animals will be sourced from meat retail shops at major cities in Missouri, a small ruminant slaughter facility and a full service stockyard located in central Missouri. Data collection will draw on traditional methods of epidemiological, molecular and microbiological approaches for isolation, serotyping, genotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and virulence profiling for Salmonella and STEC.This research is expected to reveal high prevalence and significant exposure risk levels of lamb or goat meat to pathogenic Salmonella and STEC bacteria with multi-drug resistance potential. Knowledge gained from this effort will be pivotal in ensuring the development or validation of novel methods for controlling bacterial foodborne hazards in sheep and goats and for identifying management strategies essential for minimizing on-farm and post-harvest microbiological foodborne hazards in sheep or goat populations. These outcomes are desirable for boosting the confidence of lamb and goat meat consumers and are expected to improve profitability for small ruminant farmers while simultaneously protecting public health.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
90%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
7123610117060%
7223820107010%
7223820110020%
7223820118010%
Goals / Objectives
The long-term project goal is to understand the factors leading to bacterial contamination of lamb or goat meat, and to identify on-farm and post-harvest management strategies for reducing microbiological food safety hazards in small ruminant food systems in the United States. The objective of this application is to identify and characterize potential foodborne pathogens in small ruminants entering the food supply. The following specific research aims are proposed to achieve this objective.(1) Quantify the prevalence of Salmonella and Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) serotypes O26, O45, O103, O111, O113, O121 and O145 and O157 in whole muscle lamb, mutton, and chevon cuts sold at retail stores in selected urban stores in Missouri.(2) Determine the prevalence and characterize serotypes, virulence profiles, and antibiotic resistance in Salmonella and Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) serotypes O26, O45, O103, O111, O113, O121, O145, and O157 shed by live pre-harvest sheep and goats in Missouri.(3) Measure the associations between the fecal prevalence, environmental contamination, and carcass prevalence of Salmonella, and E. coli serotypes O26, O45, O103, O111, O113, O121, O145, and O157 in in sheep and goats at slaughter.
Project Methods
Research samples and research animals will be sourced from meat retail shops at major cities in Missouri, a small ruminant slaughter facility and a full service stockyard located in central Missouri. Data collection will draw on traditional methods of epidemiological, molecular and microbiological approaches for isolation, serotyping, genotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and virulence profiling for Salmonella and STEC.This research is expected to reveal high prevalence and significant exposure risk levels of lamb or goat meat to pathogenic Salmonella and STEC bacteria with multi-drug resistance potential. Knowledge gained from this effort will be pivotal in ensuring the development or validation of novel methods for controlling bacterial foodborne hazards in sheep and goats and for identifying management strategies essential for minimizing on-farm and post-harvest microbiological foodborne hazards in sheep or goat populations. These outcomes are desirable for boosting the confidence of lamb and goat meat consumers and are expected to improve profitability for small ruminant farmers while simultaneously protecting public health.

Progress 10/29/15 to 02/26/18

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Nothing to report. PI's AES appointment to be eliminated effective June 30, 2017

Publications


    Progress 10/29/15 to 09/30/16

    Outputs
    Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? None

    Publications