Bovine periodontitis - understanding the microbiological and immunological aspects of an under-reported disease of cattle

The Dental School in collaboration with colleagues at the School of Veterinary Medicine (University of Glasgow) is seeking applications from candidates for a PhD project entitled “Bovine periodontitis - understanding the microbiological and immunological aspects of an under-reported disease of cattle”. Applicants must be overseas veterinary, biological sciences or dental graduates, ideally with an interest in veterinary research and must be fully funded (government or personal).

Bovine periodontitis is an oral disease of cattle whose importance has been overlooked by veterinarians and scientists for many decades. Although cattle are of worldwide economic importance in the dairy and beef industries, their dentition has not been investigated as thoroughly as that in other herbivores and small animals. The disease is characterised clinically by a purulent, progressive periodontitis, with periodontal pocket formation and eventual tooth loss. It is now increasingly apparent that bovine periodontitis is likely to impact significantly on the welfare of affected animals, since it can lead to difficulty in feeding which consequently leads to loss of body condition, weight loss, increased susceptibility to disease and decreased productivity and, in extreme cases, death. Since the pain is not usually reflected in the behaviour of cattle, which has led to the condition being overlooked for too long, it may cause poorer milk yields due to inefficient mastication and consequent underutilisation of food nutrients. The disease, as has been shown in other animals, is likely to increase with age and is therefore likely to be an even bigger problem in beef cattle than in dairy cows. This evidence suggests that periodontitis may be a hidden financial loss to farmers and a reason for culling cows at an earlier age than expected. However, no treatment, control or prevention methods exist.

Bacteria undoubtedly play a role in the pathogenesis of bovine periodontitis and the specificity and type of immune response is important in determining the incidence and severity of disease. The bacteria involved in the disease processes are thought to elicit characteristic cytokine responses by activating specific Toll-like receptors (TLRs). In this study, candidate pathogens will be identified by high-throughput bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and their ability to induce a host immune response (activation of TLRs and inflammatory cytokines) will be assessed using in vitro cell culture models and in a ‘closer to nature’ ex vivo 3D culture environment. These model systems will be used to test the efficacy of potentially novel treatments.

If you would like to informally discuss the project or require further information, please contact Dr Marcello Riggio: [Email Address Removed]

When applying, please choose ’MVLS - PhD’ from the drop down menu and enter the project title in the free text box.

Start date is 1 October 2015.