E. coli and Salmonella are major causes of food- and water-borne illnesses, leading to 150,000 hospitalizations and 600 deaths annually. This short course was developed in response to growing public concern over the microbiological quality of our water supplies, agricultural produce and recreation areas. Lectures, discussions and laboratory demonstrations will build on your expertise and help you optimize environmental management and monitoring programs to avoid these preventable illnesses.

This unique short course explores questions in bacterial ecology relevant to environmental quality issues. The main focus will be on the latest published research on bacterial contamination and persistence in drinking, industrial and irrigation water supplies, recreation areas and agricultural produce. We will also discuss in detail the efficacy of water quality tests during routine monitoring
and after natural disasters and bioterrorism. Morning lectures will introduce E. coli and Salmonella and laboratory demonstrations will illustrate advantages and limitations of several culture-dependent methods to identify coliforms. Demonstration exercises will also test the effectiveness of common antibacterial chemicals in controlling planktonic and biofilm bacteria.

Different water bacteria streaked for identification on McConkey + lactose agar. Pink diffusing halo indicates lactose-fermenting bacteria (e.g. E. coli), non-fermenting isolates (e.g. Salmonella Typhimurium) remains colorless (left image). Different bacterial isolates on XLD agar. Black colonies are indicative of the Salmonella’s ability to produce hydrogen sulfite on this medium. E. coli, Enterobacter and Klebsiella form opaque yellow colonies (right image).

This two-day 13-hour course was developed for working professionals who have basic or modest background in biology. Course enrollment is limited to 30 people and a Certificate of Completion will be issued upon conclusion. For more information on the course, or to suggest additional topics for discussion, please contact the course facilitator, Dr. Max Teplitski.

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As a participant of this short course:

1. You will learn about the basic biology, survival strategies and spread of E. coli and Salmonella.

2. Lectures and laboratory demonstrations will clarify different microbiological quality testing techniques. Upon completion
   of this course, you will be equipped to choose commercial testing methods, which best fit your specific needs.

3. Summaries of the research presented during the course will help you rationalize management program details to monitor, control and eliminate E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks. Course discussions should inspire you to introduce new, more effective environmental, water or waste management programs.

4. You will learn about the latest published research to control and reduce E. coli and Salmonella contamination of poultry, cattle, pigs, pets, and agricultural produce.

5. You will be able to put the latest news stories into their proper biological and historical framework.

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Course Topics

This course will focus on questions surrounding E. coli and Salmonella such as:

• Are all E. coli and Salmonella pathogenic in humans? What are the disease symptoms? Who is at risk? Are there long-term effects of the diseases caused by Salmonella or E. coli? What are the treatment options?

• How concerned should I be about multidrug resistant E. coli and Salmonella? Where do these multi-drug resistant bacteria come from?

• How do bacteria survive in water, pets, soils, vegetables and other agricultural products? What are biofilms?

• What are the sources of bacterial contamination in drinking water, recreation areas and agricultural produce (eggs, sprouts, vegetables, meats, nuts)?

• What are the different methods to monitor and control Salmonella and E. coli in drinking
  water supplies and recreation areas? Are these methods sufficient? Which testing method is the most economical and meaningful?

  Salmonella detected on the surfaces of seedlings.

• What is the latest research on monitoring water quality after natural disasters? Are scientists evaluating various techniques and devices to provide drinking water after natural disasters?

• How can I prevent coliform contamination of my produce? Should organic farmers be more (or less) concerned?

We Will Discuss Lessons Learned From:

• The recent E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks in petting zoos, pet shops, state fairs and farm shows.

  Modern techniques allow identification of coliforms within hours, without the need to culture bacteria on selective media overnight.

• Walkerton, ON (2000) E. coli contamination of drinking water.

• Recent multi-state outbreaks of gastro-intestinal illnesses caused by agricultural produce (sprouts, tomatoes, melons and salad greens).

• Bioterrorism attack in Dalles, OR (1984).

• Successful programs world-wide to control Salmonella, E. coli and other water-borne bacterial pathogens.

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 Thursday, August 18, 2005

Course Instructor

Dr. Max Teplitski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil and Water Science at the University of Florida/IFAS. His research focuses on molecular ecology of soil and water bacteria. Dr. Teplitski studies genetic mechanisms, which allow Salmonella and related bacteria to survive in soil and water environments outside their animal hosts. Dr. Teplitski is a recipient of W. E. Krauss Director’s Award for Excellence in Research from the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. More information about him can be found on his website: soils.ifas.ufl.edu/personnel/teplitski.html

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Registration opens Wednesday morning, August 17 at 9am in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Building B (MAE B), Room 211, the NEW LOCATION for the course. (NOTE: This location is different from the location originally identified in your registration confirmation packet.) Please allow plenty of time to find a parking place, walk to the meeting room and pick up your course materials when registration opens. Short course instruction begins promptly at 10:00am in this same room. (See PARKING & DIRECTIONS below to locate the classroom on campus.)

PARKING & DIRECTIONS
We recommend parking in the new Visitor Welcome Center and Bookstore parking garage located on Museum Road. There is a daily fee of $5.00 to park in this garage. Park first and then follow payment instructions posted on signs at each space. These signs direct customers to one of four pay stations where electronic space meters accept payment in bills, coins or Visa and MasterCard. An attendant will be available to answer questions or assist you at the pay stations. If you are staying at the Reitz Union Hotel, you will receive parking privileges in the garage for one vehicle per room. Parking passes and directions are distributed at check-in.

Map to Welcome Center & Bookstore Parking Garage parking.ufl.edu/RUgarage/pages/map.htm

Driving Directions to Welcome Center & Bookstore Parking Garage www.union.ufl.edu/directions.asp

The NEW location of the course is The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Building B (MAEB). MAEB is located a hundred yards or so to the west of the Parking Garage. To view the exact location of MAEB, click on the link to the UF Campus Map below and follow the instructions on how to use the map to locate a building. The easiest way is to use the drop-down tool bar to select the building you are trying to find, in this case, the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Building B (MAE B). The map will then automatically zoom in on the location of MAEB. If you click on the DETAILS icon at the top of the page, a photograph of the building will also appear to help you recognize it more easily. Remember, allow plenty of time to park and walk to the course location before instruction begins.

Link to UF Campus Map: campusmap.ufl.edu

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Gainesville Regional Airport
Gainesville Regional Airport is located approximately six miles from the University of Florida. There is only one road from the passenger terminal. When you reach the airport exit, turn right onto State Route 222 (NE 39 Ave). Take this road to its intersection with NW 13 St, a distance of 3-4 miles. (You will pass through lights at the intersections with Waldo Rd, NE 15 St, N Main St and NW 6 St before reaching the light at NW 13 St.) Turn left onto NW 13 St and follow it for about 2.5 miles until you approach the light at W University Ave. University Avenue is equivalent to NW 0 Avenue, so it is fairly easy to count down the crossing streets between NW 39th Ave and W University Avenue. The University of Florida campus begins on the southwest corner of the intersection between W University Ave and NW 13 St. From here, you can use the campus map linked above to locate McCarty Hall B.
 

REFUND POLICY: Requests for registration refunds will be honored if written notification of cancellation is received by the Office of Conferences no later than August 1st, 2005. A $75.00 processing fee will be deducted from all refunds.

SPECIAL NEEDS: Participants with special needs can be reasonably accommodated by contacting the Office of Conferences & Institutes at least 10 working days prior to the conference. We can be reached by phone at 1-352-392-5930, by fax at 1-352-392-9734, or by calling
1-800-955-8771 (TDD), within the state of Florida.

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This course will be held on the University of Florida campus in Room 3096 in McCarty Hall B. A map with detailed directions to the training site and parking instructions will be mailed to you upon receipt of your registration.

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Several hotel and motel establishments are available in the Gainesville area to provide guest room accommodations throughout the course. Participants are responsible for making their own hotel guest room reservations and a list of properties and applicable guest room rates will be sent to you upon request.
 

Gainesville Area Lodging Options

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