Characterizing the impact of a novel therapeutic on the poultry gut microbiome

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Salmonella infections represent a significant public health concern. Sources of infection include contaminated meat, eggs, and fresh produce. As such, the control of Salmonella infections in poultry products is an important means to reduce human infections. While advances have been made in reducing the frequency of Salmonella contamination in processed poultry, there is mounting pressure on commercial growers to prevent and/or eliminate these pathogens in pre-harvest production facilities. NovoBind Livestock Therapeutics Inc. proposes to develop a novel antibody-based therapeutic that could be provided to commercial growers to prevent and/or eliminate Salmonella in pre-harvest poultry production facilities. Currently, novel Salmonella-specific antibodies have been generated and are being tested for their efficacy in cell culture. The next step requires testing efficacy in vivo in pre-harvest chicken flocks. Parallel studies are required to determine the impact of these therapeutics on the poultry microbiome. The intestinal microbiota in poultry is critical for maintenance of health and defense against pathogens. It is imperative to demonstrate that these antibodies, when administered at therapeutic levels, are capable of eliminating Salmonella while leaving other members of the normal poultry flora intact. This work capitalizes on the microbiome analysis expertise of the Mohn Laboratory, whose work will complement the expertise of the larger research team. This project proposes to: (1) use high-throughput DNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis to characterize and compare the gut microbiome of healthy, Salmonella-infected and antibody-treated poultry, (2) determine any effects of antibody therapy on the microbiome, (3) compare the impact on the microbiome of antibody-delivered therapeutics versus traditional antibiotic-based therapies currently used to control Salmonella infection. Development of a Salmonella-selective therapeutic that has minimal effects on host physiology and normal flora, will benefit Canadians and worldwide populations by eliminating a source of antibiotics in the food chain while reducing human infection and illness, loss of life and costs of treatment.