Andrew Grant, Vet School
Contact: Andrew Grant <ajg60@cam.ac.uk>
University Senior Lecturer in Bacterial Pathogenesis, Department of Veterinary Medicine
Final project
Background
Many thanks for taking time to consider the idea that we have for a Public Engagement part on a BBSRC sLoLa Full Proposal that we are putting together - Genomics and Engineering to Target campylobacter (GET Campy).
Background to the project: Infection by Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial diarrhoeal disease worldwide, responsible for ~500 million cases of gastroenteritis each year. In the UK, Campylobacter is believed to be responsible for 45-75% of the one million cases of foodborne disease each year, involving 22,000 hospitalisations and 110 deaths. Current estimates by the Food Standards Agency indicate that the cost of human campylobacteriosis to the UK is around £900 million, out of a total of around £1.5 billion for all foodborne infections.
Campylobacter is commonly found in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals destined for human consumption, with faecal contamination of meat during processing a recognised route of transmission to humans. It is estimated that up to 80% of raw chicken sold in the UK is contaminated with Campylobacter, and studies suggest that the consumption of poultry is responsible for 50-70% of all infections that are reported. The current level of contamination of raw poultry on sale in the UK presents an unacceptably high public health burden, and reducing cases of Campylobacter is the UK Food Standards Agency’s top food safety priority. Despite this, the number of human campylobacteriosis cases have in fact increased over the last few years. Alternative strategies are needed to reduce Campylobacter in chickens and the Campylobacter-induced disease burden in humans.
The project: We contend that a fresh approach is required. We propose to use systems and process engineering approaches to develop a thorough understanding of the poultry production system and combine this with an in depth study of the complex bacterial community as it moves through the system. The former will provide a complete, impartial, overview of the poultry production system, from chick to plate, while the latter will provide insight into the behaviour of complex Campylobacter communities. This will enable us to identify pinch points where interventions should be targeted to reduce bacterial numbers, while avoiding the selection of populations with increased ability to survive those interventions, and/or an increased ability to cause disease. To do this, we have assembled a cross- and multi-disciplinary research programme combining expertise in engineering and biological sciences, systems engineering, molecular biology, microbiology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, and field epidemiology.
This research will provide improved understanding of the behaviour of Campylobacter in the food production system in the context of realistic, precisely targeted intervention options. The intended outcome is to provide detailed, extensive data to underpin and support the identification of new strategies for intervention to reduce Campylobacter levels in the food chain, leading to major health and economic benefits.
Campylobacter App: From year 2 or 3 of the project, we will use the engineering and bacterial population information collected in years 1 and 2 to provide a model for a game app, in which the user will follow the chicken from farm to fork, attempting to avoid contamination with Campylobacter through a variety of interventions, such as washing, temperature. The game could be played from the perspective of the chicken or the Campylobacter, and would include an element of public health information (such as proper cooking of the poultry prior to consumption will eliminate Campylobacter), as well as improving understanding of the poultry production and processing systems. Anna and I have a rough idea of what it might look like, but we have no idea how much work it is! Andrea had suggested that the project might fit nicely for a Part Ib project? I think that this could be a nice idea and would allow us to combine Public Engagement with training as well (!!), also, it could be something that was developed during the duration of the award, since during the grant we will collect genomic and transcriptomic information of the bacteria, then come up with interventions, then try them in real life production systems and monitor what happens to the bacteria - each year the new information/understanding could be incorporated into the app.
