PhD: Immunogenetic differences underlying susceptibility of cattle to Bovine Respiratory Disease

Summary

This PhD was undertaken by Andrew Ferguson through the University of Queensland, and completed in 2019.

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is one of the main causes of feedlot cattle morbidity and mortality in Australia. Serological evidence shows that there are a large number of cattle in feedlots that seroconvert to one or more of the primary viral pathogens. Despite the similar exposure of animals to these pathogens, only a proportion of cattle develop clinical BRD.

This research project investigated whether immunogenetic differences between these two groups of cattle result in different disease outcomes. It focussed on pattern recognition receptors (PRR) and their phenotypic response, as well as the type of cellular innate signalling response. Pattern recognition receptors play an important role in lung disease such as pneumonia, acute lung injury, pneumoconiosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The project improved understanding of PRR and their key role in innate and adaptive immune responses in infectious and non-infectious diseases, and generated knowledge concerning immunological responses that may predispose some cattle to respiratory disease.