Studying Salmonella and E. coli O157 along beef supply chain in Bishoftu, Ethiopia: Linkage with diarrheal illness in people?
PhD candidate: Gutema, Fanta Desissa
Curriculum:Fanta Desissa Gutema was born on June 13th, 1981 in Kubsa Kidame, Horro Guduru Wellga zone, Oromia region Ethiopia. He graduated in Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (2006) and MSc in Tropical Veterinary Public Health (2010) from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He obtained a BSc degree in Public Health Officer from Kea-Med Medical College (2012) and Master of Public Health (MPH) from Adama General Medical College (2016), Ethiopia. He joined the faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Wollega University (Ethiopia) as an assistant Lecturer in 2007 and promoted to the academic rank of Assistant Professor in 2010. He joined the College of Veterinary Medicine of Addis Ababa University as a clinical skills trainer in 2014 and as an Assistant Professor in 2016 and promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in 2018. In 2016, he started his doctoral studies at the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UGent), Belgium. Currently, he is an academic staff member of College of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Fanta is first author and co-author of several publications in peer-reviewed international journals/book chapters and participated in several (inter-) national scientific conferences.
Supervisors:
Prof. Dr. De Zutter, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University - Prof. Dr. Gabriel, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University - Prof. Dr. Duchateau, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University - Dr. Abdi, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Long Island University, New York
Foodborne diseases (FBD) are an important public health concern globally. A number of zoonotic pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli O157 are among the most common bacterial causes of FBD. Consumption of meat and meat products is a major source of FBD. Cattle are reservoirs of Salmonella and E. coli O157 and play an important role in the epidemiology of human infection. People acquire foodborne infections through consumption of raw or undercooked contaminated meat products. In Ethiopia, beef is the common meat type consumed and eaten frequently raw or under-cooked in the form of steak (“diimina”) or beef tartare (“kitfoo”) made from raw minced beef. In consequence, consumption of raw beef can be a source for Salmonella and E. coli O157 infections in the country. However, data on the potential link of cattle with the occurrence of human diarrheal illness due to Salmonella and E. coli O157 through consumption of beef is lacking in Ethiopia.
Date: Tuesday 4 May 2021, 17:00
Venue: Diergeneeskunde, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the public defense will be virtual. If you would like to attend, please contact Fanta D. Gutema before April 27th at Fanta.DesissaGutema@UGent.be.