Monitoring Salmonella in the environment is critical because contaminated freshwater used to irrigate crops can transfer pathogenic bacteria to fresh produce, causing illness and even death. But University of Georgia researcher Nikki Shariat believes traditional Salmonella surveillance methods have been missing the big picture.
Shariat, an assistant professor of population health at UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has found that Salmonella populations in freshwater are more diverse than previously thought. And that this diversity disguises hidden Salmonella populations that are clinically important.
