Danielle Malo, DVM, PhD

Gram-negative bacilli of the genus Salmonella are ubiquitous in nature. They are able of producing a spectrum of clinical diseases in both animals and man ranging from asymptomatic carriage to life-threatening sepsis. Human infection occurs in two major patterns, a systemic disease known as typhoid fever or a gastrointestinal illness termed salmonellosis. On a global scale, there are over 16 million cases of typhoid fever reported annually and 600 000 cases of mortality associated with untreated infection. The incidence of reported nontyphoidal salmonellosis has increased dramatically since 1980. The overall aim of my research program is to use mouse models of Salmonella infection and a genetic approach to study the pathogenesis of Salmonella infection. Due to the great degree of conservation between the mouse and the human genome, elucidation of the pathways responsible for host resistance in mice can help determine the pathways for the immune response to bacterial infections seen in humans. A better understanding of the host response to Salmonella infection may have a direct implication on more effective public health interventions and the design of efficient treatments against Salmonella or other intracellular pathogen.