Preventing Salmonella propagation in chicken flocks by combining host genetic selection and intestinal microbiota modulation: making use of mice and chicken infection models
Responsabilité scientifique :
Fanny Calenge
Axes de recherche :
Partenariat :
Financement :
Salmonella enterica Enteritidis is one of the major human food poisoning causes through the
consumption of contaminated poultry products (meat and eggs). This bacterium is carried
asymptomatically by chickens, but is able to infect humans. Genetic selection and intestinal
microbiota modulation are two promising ways to decrease its carriage by chickens and hence its propagation without using antibiotics. This project aims at identifying the main genetic and microbial factors controlling the individual level of Salmonella carriage in chicken, and also in mice. The study of a mice model of infection will speed up the discovery of genes and facilitate experimental approaches. The factors identified will be validated in current chicken breeds to foster a quick transfer to chicken commercial stocks, in order to ensure a quick decrease of S. Enteritidis propagation in commercial flocks and hence a decrease of its threat towards human health.