I am a microbiologist with training in veterinary medicine, microbiology, and pathology. My research focuses on the control and prevention of infectious diseases of farm animals, particularly mastitis, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety. Current mastitis control programs are not fully effective, and antimicrobials are not sustainable because of limited success and the emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. Some zoonotic foodborne pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria species can infect humans directly through contact with carrier animals or indirectly through the food chain. Similarly, antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB) and their antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) may transfer to humans through direct or indirect routes.

Sustainable dairy farming requires healthy and productive dairy animals in continuously changing dynamics of host-pathogen-environment interactions. So, there is no one perfect sustainable solution to keep dairy animals healthy and productive, but an integrated multidisciplinary approach addressing the health and welfare, nutritional, and managemental needs is required. Developing sustainable control tools that are easily adoptable by producers, such as effective vaccines, and non-antimicrobial alternative disease control tools is critically important. Currently, ongoing research projects in my lab include 1) developing effective vaccines for major bacterial mastitis pathogens, 2) understanding molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of Mycoplasma bovis mastitis and identification of critical virulence factors for potential use as vaccine targets, 3) understanding molecular, genetic, and managemental factors responsible for the increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and developing alternatives to antimicrobials for disease control and prevention and 4) monitoring prevalence of foodborne pathogens in dairy cattle farms and developing improved diagnostic tools and control measures.

News highlights:

Vaccine for mastitis: https://utrf.tennessee.edu/utrf-inventor-spotlight-dr-oudessa-kerro-dego

Mastitis in Dairy Cattle, Sheep and Goats: http://www.intechopen.com/books/mastitis-in-dairy-cattle-sheep-and-goats