Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Animal Science

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

In the United States, Salmonella Javiana is among the top 5 most common nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes, with a 325% increase in infection rate since 1970. Globally, nontyphoidal Salmonella leads to approximately 93.8 million illnesses and 155,000 deaths annually, with disproportionate impacts in developing countries. In the United States alone, these infections lead to over $4 billion in costs, the majority of which are attributed to those expenses incurred from mortalities. The zoonotic nature of nontyphoidal Salmonellae and their ability to survive on and within vegetation mean huge economic burden potential for various agricultural industries as well, especially since some of their products serve as the primary reservoirs for infection. Fluid therapy and antibiotics are the only available treatments for S. Javiana infections because this serotype is resistant to most common antibiotics. While Salmonella vaccines do exist, none cover this serotype, and the types of Salmonella vaccines commercially available are not practical for large-scale industry use or distribution to developing regions where protection is needed most. This pragmatism issue is largely because of vaccine production costs and storage requirements. Up-and-coming recombinant plasmid DNA vaccine technologies offer an opportunity to address both hurdles. This project begins exploration of this opportunity with the design, construction, assay development, and testing of 4 recombinant pDNA vaccines.

Date

6-5-2023

Committee Chair

Cooper, Richard K.

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