Pilot Supplement: Transmission of Bacteria Between Livestock and Birds and the Potential Risk to Farm Workers

Transmission of bacteria between livestock and birds and the potential risk to farm workers This project, funded by an ERC pilot in 2014 and a SCAHIP pilot in 2015, uncovered evidence of potential transmission of bacteria between birds and livestock. Strains identified included E. coli, Salmonella, and Corynebacteria, all of which can cause serious illness in humans. Some samples collected in 2014 and 2015 have been typed and exhibit some antibiotic resistance. Recent work in the lab has identified useful PCR primers to identify strains and some types of antibiotic resistance. Thus the preliminary results from analyses of samples supported by the two pilot grants are very encouraging. We did, however, collect far more samples than we had personnel to process. Considerable new progress can be made if we had dedicated lab personnel to process samples. Much of that work could be accomplished by undergraduates already familiar with the basic procedures. Thus I would like to request up to $10,000 direct costs if funds are available to support two undergraduates to work full time this summer analyzing samples. This would provide a more quantitative assessment of the prevalence of antibiotic resistance strains in birds and livestock and the main study site and a test of strain identities which would implicate transmission.