@article{swift_foster_rogers_sylvester_griffith_jacob_2017, title={Efficacy of an Escherichia coli O157:H7 SRP Vaccine in Orally Challenged Goats and Strain Persistence Over Time}, volume={14}, ISSN={["1556-7125"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2016.2213}, DOI={10.1089/fpd.2016.2213}, abstractNote={Small ruminants have been implicated in outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 at livestock exhibitions throughout the United States. Additionally, goat meat or milk may serve as a reservoir for foodborne transmission of the organism. These associations highlight the public health importance of an effective strategy to reduce E. coli O157:H7 shedding in goats. We examined the efficacy of the SRP® vaccine in goats orally challenged with E. coli O157:H7. Mixed-breed goats (n = 14) were randomly allocated into vaccinated and unvaccinated treatments (n = 7 per treatment). Goats were housed with a vaccinated and unvaccinated animal in each pen. Feces were collected for 3 weeks, then at necropsy, gastrointestinal contents were collected to determine the concentration of E. coli O157:H7. Three isolates per positive sample were saved and evaluated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to assess strain persistence over time. The mean concentration of E. coli O157:H7 in the feces of goats was numerically reduced in the vaccinated treatment; however, it was not statistically significant. In addition, the total number of days goats were fecal positive for E. coli O157:H7 were not different between vaccinated and unvaccinated treatments. Pulsotypes of isolates revealed that goats initially shed two of the four challenge strains of E. coli O157:H7, after which there was a distinct shift to two different strains. Further work is needed to evaluate cost-effective intervention strategies that reliably reduce E. coli O157:H7 shedding in goats, particularly those that may reduce the risk of transmission at public events, including petting zoos and fairs.}, number={3}, journal={FOODBORNE PATHOGENS AND DISEASE}, author={Swift, Jacob M. and Foster, Derek M. and Rogers, Anna T. and Sylvester, Hannah J. and Griffith, Emily H. and Jacob, Megan E.}, year={2017}, month={Mar}, pages={160–166} }