Clostridium perfringens and avian necrotic enteritis; novel virulence factors

Avian necrotic enteritis is both an animal welfare concern and a disease of economic importance to the poultry industry. The disease is caused by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens. How this pathogen causes disease has been poorly understood for many years. The work of this project has shed light on how the process of collagen adherence plays a vital role in the bacteria's ability to colonise the host as well as the impact of bacterially encoded proteases in the disease process. This work has contributed substantially to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in this serious disease.