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Control of Salmonella in poultry using new generation small molecule growth inhibitors

Agriculture
Livestock Animal Health
Livestock Animal Therapeutics
College
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)
Researchers
Rajashekara, Gireesh
Deblais, Loic
Kathayat, Dipak
Miller, Sally
Mohamed, Yosra
Licensing Manager
Dahlman, Jason "Jay"
(614)292-7945
dahlman.3@osu.edu

T2018-157 Small molecule compounds that can be used to inhibit Salmonella growth for safe and sustainable poultry production.

The Need: Controlling Microbial Growth for Public Health and Safety

The increasing incidence of foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial pathogens poses significant public health risks and economic burdens worldwide. Conventional antimicrobial treatments have become less effective, and the development of novel, targeted solutions is essential to combat these pathogens and ensure food safety. There is a pressing need for advanced antimicrobial technologies that can control bacterial growth, especially in food-producing animals and plants, while remaining safe for both hosts and consumers.

The Technology: Effective and Safe Antimicrobial Small Molecules

The technology offers a revolutionary approach to control microbial growth, particularly in animals and plants, by utilizing certain small molecules (SMs) with exceptional antimicrobial properties. These SMs have been identified to possess low toxicity to host cells and normal flora, making them ideal candidates for widespread application. Additionally, they demonstrate additive or synergistic effects when combined with existing antibiotics, enhancing their efficacy against bacterial pathogens.

Commercial Applications:

  1. Food Safety Enhancement: The technology can be employed to treat food-producing animals, particularly poultry, to reduce Salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria, ensuring safer meat and meat products for human consumption.
  2. Crop Protection: The technology's application in plants can effectively inhibit bacterial growth and contamination, safeguarding agricultural produce from diseases caused by bacteria such as Salmonella Typhimurium.
  3. Veterinary Medicine: Veterinary professionals can utilize the technology to treat bacterial infections in animals, promoting animal health and reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases transmission.

Benefits/Advantages:

  1. Enhanced Public Health: By significantly reducing the prevalence of foodborne illnesses, the technology contributes to better public health outcomes and decreased healthcare costs associated with treating such infections.
  2. Economical: The use of these antimicrobial small molecules can potentially reduce economic losses caused by food recalls, medical expenses, and productivity disruptions due to bacterial infections.
  3. Antibiotic Resistance Mitigation: As the technology employs novel antimicrobial agents, it can combat antibiotic resistance, offering an alternative approach to controlling bacterial pathogens that have become resistant to traditional antibiotics.
  4. Safe for Hosts and Beneficial Microbiota: The low toxicity of the SMs to host cells and commensal bacteria ensures that the treatments remain safe and minimally disruptive to the natural microbiota of animals and plants.
  5. Synergistic Effects: When combined with existing antibiotics, the technology exhibits synergistic effects, amplifying their efficacy and reducing the chances of bacteria developing resistance to the treatments.

In summary, the technology provides a cutting-edge solution to the pressing problem of microbial contamination in animals and plants. Its broad commercial applications offer immense potential for improving food safety, public health, and agricultural practices while addressing the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance. Embracing this innovative technology promises safer food products, healthier animals, and a more sustainable approach to combatting bacterial pathogens in diverse settings.