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<OL> <li>Collect data for a poultry risk assessment model describing the effects of production, transport and processing on Campylobacter contamination.<li> Identify sources (by DNA sequencing) in poultry operations. <li>Assess and characterize the potential for vertical spread and determine value in hatchery intervention. <li>Define antagonistic flora. Create detection assay to selectively isolate and enumerate. </ol>
<ol> <li>Obtain and quantitatively analyze Campylobacter in poultry operations and, compare with human disease causing strains to create a risk assessment model.
<li>Cooperatively with the U.S. poultry industry, assess the magnitude of breeder transmission to the broilers and determine benefit of hatchery interventions. Use DNA sequencing for tracking.
<li>Conduct experimentation to determine etiology of breeder/broiler transmission.
<li>Screen and identify antagonistic bacteria.
<li>Using biochemical characteristics, create selective/differential media for use by Regulatory Agencies.
<li> Screen and identify antagonistic bacteria. Select conserved DNA components for creation of a field friendly PCR assay. </ol>
Using this template, create an RT PCR assay that detects only live cells. Research in the processing plants will be carried out cooperatively with other appropriate ARS management units.