Role of Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 4 in Colonisation of Cattle by Salmonella Typhimurium

Salmonella typhimurium causes severe enteric and systemic disease in farm animals which act as a reservoir for human infections. We have demonstrated that Salmonella Pathogenicity Island -4 (SPI-4) is required for the initial colonisation of the bovine gastro-intestinal tract by S. typhimurium. <P>
We aim to determine how SPI-4 influences colonisation and pathogenesis through the integration of molecular genetic techniques with in vivo and in vitro analyses of S. typhimurium interactions with bovine cells. We will also investigate the distribution of functional SPI- 4 genes in different Salmonella serotypes and will assess the potential of SPI04 as a candidate for vaccine development.