Date of Award

January 2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Peter Krause

Second Advisor

Amaleah Hartman

Abstract

Epizootic bovine abortion (EBA) is an arthropod-borne bacterial infection that significantly impacts cattle populations across the western United States. Current diagnostic methods for detecting P. abortibovis-specific antibodies rely on whole-bacteria antigens that are expensive and difficult to produce, creating implementation barriers that compromise surveillance capacity. This research developed and validated a recombinant protein-based ELISA to address these accessibility limitations. Using archived fetal samples with definitive diagnoses, the 01995 ELISA demonstrated exceptional diagnostic performance with high specificity and sensitivity. Strong correlation with established diagnostic methods validated clinical utility while eliminating production barriers associated with whole-bacteria antigens. This recombinant protein-based approach provides a more economical and reproducible diagnostic tool that supports automation and higher throughput processing. The development directly advances public health goals for accessible animal disease surveillance infrastructure that protects food security and agricultural economic stability by enabling broader implementation across diverse laboratory settings.

Comments

This thesis is restricted to Yale network users only. It will be made publicly available on 09/16/2028

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