# Occupational Exposure and Health Risk from Dairy Microbiome and Resistome to Dairy Farm Workers

> **NIH ALLCDC R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $488,461

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Over the last four decades, biological and chemical modifiers have increased agricultural production in the US.
Most US dairy producers administer sub-therapeutic, prophylactic doses of antimicrobials to their cows to
enhance animal growth and prevent communal infectious diseases. This antimicrobial use risks the emergence
of transmissible antibiotic-resistant bacteria in cows that can spread to dairy farmers via occupational
exposure. We propose to define and compare the nasal microbiomes, gut microbiomes, and antimicrobial
resistance genes of dairy workers and their cows to investigate potential harmful or beneficial effects on dairy
farmers. Our proposal’s rationale is that occupational exposure of dairy farm workers to antimicrobial
resistance genes and transmissible resistant bacteria via dairy cows is unknown. Our proposal’s central
motivation is to understand the potential harmful or beneficial effects of dairy farm exposure on dairy farmers.
Guided by strong preliminary data, this proposal pursues four aims. In aim one, we will characterize the nasal
and gut microbiomes of dairy cows, dairy farmers, and office workers, testing the hypothesis that dairy
farmers and dairy cows have a shared microbiome composition that differs from office workers’ microbiome
composition. In aim two, we will quantitatively assess temporal changes in microbial communities, virulence
factors, and resistomes between dairy cows and dairy farmers and develop computational models to identify
risk factors associated with seasonal influenza and gastrointestinal symptoms, testing the hypothesis that
nasal and fecal communities of dairy cows and dairy farmers will share resistance genes and virulence factors.
In aim three, we will understand and predict the temporal transmission dynamics of antimicrobial resistance
genes between dairy cows and dairy farmers, testing the hypothesis that antibiotic resistance genes present
in dairy cows will be reflected in dairy farmers they are in contact with. In aim four we will understand the
conception and behaviors of dairy farmers regarding the shared dairy cow and dairy farmer microbiome,
testing the hypothesis that dairy farmers have incomplete knowledge of the occupational hazard posed by
antimicrobial resistant organisms, but are willing to learn about these risks and take steps to mitigate them.
Our proposal is innovative with its involvement of a cross-disciplinary team of researchers to focus state-of-the-
art tools on the understudied public health problem of dairy cow to dairy farmer antimicrobial resistant
organism transmission. Our proposal is significant because it will 1) improve our understanding of shared vs
unique components of microbiome and resistome between dairy cows, dairy farmers and office workers, 2)
enhance our knowledge on the impact of current use practices in dairy industry on AMR transmission and its
potential risk to farm workers. Our proposal is impactful because it will provide spec...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9964600
- **Project number:** 5R01OH011578-03
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Gautam Dantas
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $488,461
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9964600

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9964600, Occupational Exposure and Health Risk from Dairy Microbiome and Resistome to Dairy Farm Workers (5R01OH011578-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9964600. Licensed CC0.

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