Semester of Graduation

Summer 2024

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

School of Animal Sciences

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Salmonella spp. is a Gram-negative bacterium that has the ability to replicate within a variety of hosts, or within the environment, including water, soil, and vegetation. These characteristics, coupled with the zoonotic nature of non-typhoidal Salmonella, pose a significant public health concern. Salmonella is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses worldwide, and in the United States alone, the economic impact due to non-typhoidal Salmonella illnesses in 2013 was estimated to be $3.7 billion, the majority of which were due to mortalities. In a time of rising antibiotic resistance, antibiotics are no longer considered the most effective treatment for salmonellosis. Instead, treatment primarily involves antidiarrheals and fluid therapy. However, preventing infection eliminates the need for treatment. While there are commercially available vaccines against Salmonella, none of them provide protection against Salmonella Javiana, which is among the top 5 most common serotypes in the United States. Nucleic acid vaccines provide an opportunity to combat Salmonella safely and effectively in a cost effective and rapid manner, while offering protection across multiple serotypes. This project explores the design, construction, and in vitro testing of various multi-epitope nucleic acid vaccines, including plasmid DNA, messenger RNA, and self-amplifying RNA, against Salmonella Javiana.

Date

7-2-2024

Committee Chair

Cooper, Richard K.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_theses.6007

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