A team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame and Purdue University has received a three-year grant of $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a new technology that can rapidly test milk and other dairy products for harmful pathogens.
Though the research will be applicable to many microorganisms, the team’s first goal is to reduce the incidence of brucellosis, a condition caused by infection from Brucella bacteria, various strains of which are found in sheep, goats, cattle and swine. Brucellosis is the most common animal-to-human infection worldwide, with more than 500,000 new cases reported each year. It rarely causes death, but it can result in prolonged health problems.
“The infection is usually acquired by ingestion of contaminated animal products, typically raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products such as soft cheeses,” says Ramesh Vemulapalli, professor of veterinary immunology and microbiology at Purdue and a collaborating investigator on the project.
“Although it is rarely seen in developed countries, there is growing concern that these pathogens are spreading because of increased global tourism and immigration.”
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