BORDETELLA-HOST INTERACTIONS

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a major bacterial infectious agent of respiratory tracts and is amongst the greatest threats to the health of animals. B. bronchiseptica infection is endemic in many agricultural animals and has been found in pigs, sheep, rabbits, cows, horses, dogs, cats, rats and mice. The infection can lead to diseases such as Atrophic Rhinitis that causes an estimated $17 million in damages to U.S. pig farms annually. B. bronchiseptica infection also predisposes animals to many other respiratory tract infections. The current vaccines and therapies are not capable of eliminating infection from individual animals or herds. Understanding mechanisms of protective immunity against B. bronchiseptica infection and how this pathogen manipulates the immune response will greatly improve our ability to vaccinate and treat the various diseases it causes.