Dr. Stephen P. Oliver
Professor

Education

B.S. 1976 North Carolina State University, Animal Science
M.S. 1978 The Ohio State University, Dairy Science
Ph.D. 1980 The Ohio State University, Dairy Science

Professional Interest

Mastitis in dairy cows is a complex multifactor disease and is likely the most costly disease affecting animal agriculture in the world. Mastitis differs from other animal diseases in that several diverse bacteria are capable of causing the disease. Control is extremely difficult due to diverse types and sources of mastitis pathogens coupled with a poor understanding of bacterial and host factors associated with the disease process. Mastitis caused by environmental pathogens such as Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli is particularly problematic because current methods of control are less effective, often ineffective, against pathogens that are ubiquitous in the dairy farm environment. Consequently, mastitis caused by environmental pathogens remains a serious problem in several herds, and can become a significant problem in dairies that have controlled the more common mastitis pathogens. Because of this, Dr. Oliver’s research program is focused on 1) characterizing factors which affect resistance of the udder to mastitis, 2) characterizing factors and mechanisms which permit mastitis pathogens to invade the udder and produce mastitis, 3) developing and evaluating techniques for the prevention and control of mastitis in dairy cows, and 4) characterizing dairy food safety issues relevant to mastitis. Current research is focused on: 

1. Identification and Characterization of Streptococcal Virulence Factors: Relationship with Immunity to Mastitis in Dairy Cows.This research focuses extensively on discovery of nonantibiotic approaches for the prevention and control of mastitis caused by Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli in dairy cows.
2. Food Safety Research focuses on identification of foodborne pathogens in milk, potential sources of foodborne pathogens on-the-farm, and development of more rapid techniques to detect veterinary and foodborne pathogens.
3. Tennessee Quality Milk Initiative: In response to needs of stakeholders, the Tennessee Quality Milk Initiative (http://www.tqmi.utk.edu) was launched in 2007. Through this initiative, educational materials are developed by extension, research and industry experts to bring science-based knowledge to the field.

Select Publications:

• Rambeaud, M., R. A. Almeida, G. M. Pighetti, and S. P. Oliver. 2003. Dynamics of leukocytes and cytokines during experimentally induced Streptococcus uberis mastitis. Vet. Immunol. Immuopathol. 96:193-205.
• Oliver, S. P., R. A. Almeida, B. E. Gillespie, S. J. Ivey, H. Moorehead, P. Lunn, H. H. Dowlen, D. L. Johnson, K. C. Lamar, S. T. Chester, and W. M. Moseley. 2004. Efficacy of extended ceftiofur therapy for treatment of experimentally-induced Streptococcus uberis intramammary infections in lactating dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 87:3322-3329.
•  Oliver, S. P., B. M. Jayarao, and R. A. Almeida. 2005. Foodborne pathogens in milk and the dairy farm environment: food safety and public health implications. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease 2 (2):115-129.
• Oliver, S. P., B. E. Gillespie, S. J. Headrick, M. J. Lewis, and H. H. Dowlen. 2005. Prevalence, risk factors and strategies for controlling mastitis in heifers during the periparturient period. Intl. J. Appl. Res. Vet. Med. 3:150-162.
• Gillespie, B. E., and S. P. Oliver. 2005. Simultaneous detection of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus uberis in milk by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction. J. Dairy Sci. 88:3510-3518. 
• Almeida, R. A., D. A. Luther, H. M. Park, and S. P. Oliver. 2006. Identification, isolation, and partial characterization of a novel Streptococcus uberis adhesion molecule (SUAM). Vet. Microbiol. 115:183-191. 
• Tamilselvam, B., R. A. Almeida, J. R. Dunlop, and S. P. Oliver. 2006. Streptococcus uberis internalizes and persists in bovine mammary epithelial cells.Microbial Pathogenesis 40:279-285.
• Dogan, Belgin, S. Klaessig, M. Rishniw, R. A. Almeida, S. P. Oliver, K. Simpson, and Y. H. Schukken. 2006. Adherent and invasive Escherichia coli are associated with persistent bovine mastitis. Vet. Microbiol. 116(4):270-282. 
• Luther, Douglas A., Raúl A. Almeida, and Stephen P. Oliver. 2008. Elucidation of the DNA sequence of Streptococcus uberis adhesion molecule gene (sua) and detection of sua in strains of Streptococcus uberis isolated from geographically diverse locations. Vet. Microbiol. 128:304-312.
• Oliver, S. P., D. A. Patel, T. R. Callaway, and M. E. Torrence. 2009. Developments and future outlook for preharvest food safety. J. Anim. Sci. 87:419-437.