An official website of the United States government.
The objective of the research is to specifically identify the diversity of S. typhimurium in a geographic community with a high concentration of dairy cattle and describe the medical ecology of the bacteria relative to the diversity.
<P>
We believe that only a portion of the known S. typhimurium is associated with dairy cattle and can be identified in milk or on cull animals and some of these may be associated with food-borne and human diseases. In addition, there are specific inputs,reservoirs, and animal management practices that are responsible for the persistence, spread, and expression of this subset ofs. typhimurium on California dairies. </p>
<P>
Specifically, we will monitor changes in S. typhimurium isolated from a two county, dairy milk shed in central California (400,000 dairy cattle) and identify the genetic variants of these isolates.We will determine the spatial patterns of S. typhimurium variants in the milk shed (that is determine where they move in the milkshed) and assess the pathogen, environment, and management factors associated with persistent dairy herd infection with S.typhimurium.</P>