Postdoctoral Fellow
National Cancer Institute
Project Title: “Evaluating the impact of concentrated animal feeding operations on Campylobacter jejuni infections in rural agricultural communities.”
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) contribute to the production of over 50% of livestock and poultry in the U.S. CAFOs are characterized by large numbers of animals over small land area. Manure is a major source of CAFO-related environmental contamination. Many of the pathogens found in manure, including Campylobacter, are endemic to animals produced from CAFOs. Every year, approximately 1.5 million people in the U.S. fall sick with Campylobacter infections. Occupational exposure to animals that are sources of Campylobacter, such as livestock and poultry, has been identified as an important risk factor for infection. However, little is known about whether non-occupational exposure to farm animals and animal waste (i.e. residential proximity to CAFOs) may also contribute to Campylobacter infections.
Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is one of the most common Campylobacter species. Dr. Shearer proposes to utilize resources from an ongoing epidemiologic study of farming and non-farming Iowa residents with information on previous agricultural exposures (e.g. direct animal exposure), proximity to CAFOs, and available biospecimens, to evaluate whether residential proximity to CAFOs is associated with circulating C. jejuni IgG antibody levels, among rural, agricultural residents. He also aims to examine the relationship between recent direct contact with animals and circulating C. jejuni IgG antibody levels, in the same population.
