Understanding, combating foodborne pathogens E. coli 0157 and ...( MANHATTAN KAN. -- Understanding the e...)

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Understanding the ecology of two dangerous foodborne pathogens and devising ways to combat them is a big job. That's why Kansas State University has a team of seven researchers and six collaborators taking on E. coli 0157 and salmonella.

"It's becoming more and more difficult to study these pathogens because you have to be a jack of all trades," said T.G. Nagaraja, professor of diagnostic medicine pathobiology at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Nagaraja leads a research group that includes epidemiologists, molecular biologists, production animal medicine experts and feedlot nutritionists.

For the past five years, Nagaraja has been leading the team on an E. coli 0157 research project that goes back more than a decade at K-State. E. coli 0157 doesn't cause problems for livestock, but it's zoonotic -- that is, it can be passed on to humans through the food supply.

"Our goals are fairly simple," Nagaraja said. "We want to understand the ecology of E. coli 0157 in cattle and come up with practical, on-farm intervention strategies."

The rest of the research team includes Sanjeev Narayanan, assistant professor of pathology and molecular biology; Richard Oberst, professor of microbiology; David Renter, assistant professor in epidemiology; Mike Sanderson, associate professor of epidemiology and production animal medicine; Daniel Thomson, assistant professor of feedlot production medicine; and Ludek Zurek, associate professor of entomology.

Collaborators include K-State's Mike Apley, associate professor of production animal medicine; Jim Drouillard, professor of feedlot nutrition; Larry Hollis, professor in animal sciences and industry; Justin Kastner, assistant professor of food safety and security; and Abby Nutsch, assistant professor of food microbiology; as well as Kelly Lechtenberg, director of Midwest Veterinary Research Inc. in Oakland, Neb.

The research team is working to
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