Understanding the role of natural microbial communities in the transmission of foodborne pathogens between the environment, chickens and humans.

Supervisor: Dr Chloe James, School of Environment & Life Sciences

Campylobacter is an important zoonotic pathogen, and the most common cause of bacterial diarrhoeal disease in humans. Whilst the prevalence of Salmonella infection has decreased in recent years, there are an estimated 700,000 cases of Campylobacteriosis per year in the UK and this number is steadily rising. Human infection by Campylobacter typically results from eating contaminated food (most commonly chicken). The food industry is now faced with a major challenge, to reduce the huge level of Campylobacter-contaminated chicken products that are sold globally.

Despite being difficult to grow in the laboratory, these food borne pathogens can survive in the natural environment and in chicken shed water systems, increasing the risk of transmission to chickens. It has been suggested that Campylobacter species exploit the resources produced by other bacteria in the environment to support survival outside the host and particularly in water systems. Many bacterial species exist within "biofilms" in which highly organised microbial consortia are surrounded by a protective polysaccharide matrix. Although such communities have been described, the key inter-species relationships that promote Campylobacter survival have not been identified. There is still much to understand about how different bacteria communicate. If we can tap into these conversations, we can find new ways to reduce Campylobacter transmission between the environment and chickens or direct transmission to humans.

This project aims to explore inter-species co-operation in biofilms such as those that build up in water systems on poultry farms. This work will fuel exciting research into new anti-biofilm technologies for the food and water processing industries. It will also inform policy to improve poultry farming practices to reduce Campylobacter transmission to chickens and humans. The project will be organised into 3 phases:

• Model development: Several bacterial culture techniques will be employed to develop a series of biofilm models using well characterised strains of Campylobacter and common environmental bacterial species and consortia isolated directly from farm and water environments.
• Characterisation of relationships: Co-operative relationships will be characterised using microscopy and conditions that improve or prevent them will be explored.
• Mechanisms: Specific mechanisms of interaction will then be identified using gene knock-out libraries and gene expression studies.

The successful candidate will be based at the School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford and be supervised by Dr Chloe James. The project will also feed in to on-going large scale Campylobacter research at the National Consortium for Zoonosis Research (NCZR) and The University of Liverpool.

For further information, please contact: c.james@salford.ac.uk

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