Salmonella in poultry: improving vaccine efficacy . The central aim of this project is to increase the antigenicity of aroA mutant Salmonella Typhimurium vaccines, in particular Bioproperties’ Vaxsafe® ST. Increased antigenicity will affect the gut microbiota and stimulate a stronger host immune response improving vaccine efficacy and the duration of protection against S. Typhimurium in poultry. This will ultimately reduce bacterial loads in the farm environment, mitigate downstream contaminatio ....Salmonella in poultry: improving vaccine efficacy . The central aim of this project is to increase the antigenicity of aroA mutant Salmonella Typhimurium vaccines, in particular Bioproperties’ Vaxsafe® ST. Increased antigenicity will affect the gut microbiota and stimulate a stronger host immune response improving vaccine efficacy and the duration of protection against S. Typhimurium in poultry. This will ultimately reduce bacterial loads in the farm environment, mitigate downstream contamination of the food supply chain, and reduce the number of human salmonellosis cases.Read moreRead less
Linking immunomodulation and latency in alphaherpesvirus infection. Herpesviruses cause major diseases in humans and all domestic animal species. Latency forms a significant part of the evolutionary success of herpesviruses, by enabling transmission of the virus throughout the lifetime of the host. Our work has shown that an alphaherpesvirus protein can divert the host’s immune response to become more antibody-mediated and less T cell-mediated. This study explores the consequences of this immune ....Linking immunomodulation and latency in alphaherpesvirus infection. Herpesviruses cause major diseases in humans and all domestic animal species. Latency forms a significant part of the evolutionary success of herpesviruses, by enabling transmission of the virus throughout the lifetime of the host. Our work has shown that an alphaherpesvirus protein can divert the host’s immune response to become more antibody-mediated and less T cell-mediated. This study explores the consequences of this immune diversion, and examines whether this reduced T cell response enables the development of latent infections. Disrupting the virus-host balance by alterations to this conserved viral protein will enable novel approaches to controlling these economically significant viruses.Read moreRead less
Vaccination of poultry infected with multiple Salmonella serovars. Salmonella is a zoonotic, foodborne pathogen found on eggs and poultry meat. It is the second largest cause of human gastrointestinal disease, thus, reduction of Salmonella on poultry farms is paramount to public health. This project aims to evaluate the long-term efficacy of a commercial Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine against multiple serotypes, including the emerging Salmonella Enteritidis. This project will generate new knowle ....Vaccination of poultry infected with multiple Salmonella serovars. Salmonella is a zoonotic, foodborne pathogen found on eggs and poultry meat. It is the second largest cause of human gastrointestinal disease, thus, reduction of Salmonella on poultry farms is paramount to public health. This project aims to evaluate the long-term efficacy of a commercial Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine against multiple serotypes, including the emerging Salmonella Enteritidis. This project will generate new knowledge in avian immunology using an innovative approach to evaluate the host response to multi-serovar infection. Outcomes of this project will future proof the Australian poultry industry against exotic Salmonella serotypes benefitting the industry by significantly reducing risks of future outbreaks and economic loss.Read moreRead less