FORINGEN

RESEARCH NETWORK FOR INFECTOGENOMICS

DT-4 Genome-based identification of targets specific for bovine Staphylococcus aureus isolates

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important causes of bovine mastitis causing significant health and economic problems in dairy cattle husbandry. Therapeutic measures, like antibiotic treatments, show low efficacy and further no efficient vaccines to prevent chronic S. aureus infections are available so far. The project aims to investigate if vaccination with a live attenuated S. aureus strain is a feasible strategy to prevent chronic infections with S. aureus of the bovine udder. During the last five years the intensive efforts in genomic research succeeded and resulted in the release of a range of human and bovine S. aureus genome sequences. This comprehensive genome information will be used to identify and evaluate putative targets for the construction of a live attenuated S. aureus vaccine strain. Successful application of such a vaccine in husbandry is a highly desirable aim and would help to improve animal health as well as to reduce economic losses in dairy farming.