Campylobacter spp. is one of the two major causes of foodborne illness throughout the world. Campylobacter accounts for the most common causes of diarrheal illness caused by bacterial pathogens worldwide and in the United States. It is estimated that Campylobacter diarrheal illness affects about 2.4 million persons every year with an estimated cost of treatment and loss of productivity exceeding $1 billion annually. Previous work in our laboratory on biofilms has demonstrated the presence pilus-like surface-associated structures disseminating from the cell wall of C. jejuni isolates not expressing flagella (flaAB mutants). To further investigate this finding, bioinformatics analysis, purification and identification of genes involved in the expression of surface-associated structures as well as mutational analysis of putative genes were performed. We identified two important poultry colonization factors in C. jejuni. These studies might provide insights in understanding the pathogenesis of C. jejuni. Moreover, it will provide a new target for potential vaccine development against C. jejuni infection in poultry production system. Thus directly impacting the number of C. jejuni infection in humans.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/228452 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Echevarría-Núñez, Lisbeth E. |
| Contributors | Joens, Lynn A., Viswanathan, V. K., Reggiardo, Carlos, Ravishankar, Sadhana, Joens, Lynn A. |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Electronic Dissertation |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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