Jeff Bender, DVM, MS

Molecular subtyping of foodborne pathogens for disease surveillance
As an epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health, our group implemented molecular subtyping of E. coli O157 and Salmonella isolates from patients with the goal to improve detection of foodborne related outbreaks.  This was a novel, real-time surveillance tool that revolutionized how State Health departments conduct disease investigations.

1. Hong S, Rovira A, Davies P, Ahlstrom C, Muellner P, Rendahl A, Olsen K, Bender JB, Wells S, Perez A, Alvarez J. Serotypes and Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella enterica Recovered from Clinical Samples from Cattle and Swine in Minnesota, 2006 to 2015. PLoS One 2016;11. PMCID: PMC5148076.
2. Bender JB, Hedberg CW, Besser JM, Boxrud DJ, MacDonald KL, Osterholm MT.  Surveillance for Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections in Minnesota by molecular subtyping.  NEJM 1997; 337: 388-94.
3. Bender JB, Hedberg CW, Boxrud DJ, Besser JM, Wicklund JH, MacDonald KL, Osterholm MT.  Molecular subtype surveillance of Salmonella typhimurium, Minnesota, 1994-1998. NEJM 2001; 344:189-195.
4. Bender JB, Smith KE, McNess AA, Fiorentino TR, Segler SP, Hawkins MA, Spina NL, Keene WE, Van Gilder TJ, Hedberg LW and the Epi FoodNet Working Group. Surveillance for Escherichia coli O157 infections in FoodNet Sites, 1996-1999.  Clin Infect Dis 2004; 38 Suppl 3:S157-164.

Zoonotic disease control efforts associated with petting zoos
As a public health official, we noted an increase in the number of outbreaks linked to animal exposures at public contact venues.  Initially, our group characterized these outbreaks including a review of the type of pathogens and applicable control measures.  I served as a co-Chair of a national committee for developing measures to reduce the occurrence of these animal-contact associated infections (i.e. Compendium).  

1. Bender JB, Shulman SA. “Animals in Public Contact” subcommittee, National Association of State and Public Health Veterinarians. Reports of zoonotic disease outbreaks associated with animal exhibits and availability of recommendations for preventing zoonotic disease transmission form animals to people in such settings.  J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004; 224:1105-1109.
2. Smith KE, Stenzel SA, Bender JB, Wagstrom E, Soderlund D, Leano FT, Taylor CM, Danila R. Public Health Implications of Outbreaks at a Farm Day Camp. Ped Inf Dis J 2004;23:1098-104.
3. Steinmuller N, Demma L, Bender JB, Eidson M, Angulo FJ.  Outbreaks of enteric disease associated with animal contact: Not just a foodborne problem anymore. Clin Infect Dis, 2006;43:1596-1602.
4. Compendium of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings, 2007. Morb Mort Week Rep. 2007;56: No. RR-5.

Understanding the human-animal interface and zoonotic influenza transmission
As a research group, we received program funding from NIH and CDC to characterize zoonotic influenza transmission.  These center grants facilitated multidisciplinary and multi-institutional collaborations including the first detection of pH1N1 in swine in the United States. This continued work has demonstrated the frequency of zoonotic transmission associated with a live market and the on-going potential health risk to patrons in a live-animal market.

1. Nirmala J, Bender JB, Lynfield R, Yang M, Rene Culhane M, Nelson MI, Sreevatsan S, Torremorell M. Genetic diversity of influenza A viruses circulating in pigs between winter and summer in a Minnesota live animal market. Zoonoses Public Health. 2020 May;67(3):243-250. doi: 10.1111/zph.12679. Epub 2019 Dec 23.PMID: 31868300
2. Beaudoin A, Johnson S, Davies P, Bender J, Gramer M. Characterization of influenza A outbreaks in Minnesota swine herds and measures taken to reduce risk of zoonotic transmission. Zoonosis Pub Health 2012;59:96-106.
3. Yendell SJ, Rubinoff I, Lauer D, Bender JB, Scheftel J. Prevalence of low-pathogenic avian influenza and evaluation of management practices in Minnesota backyard poultry flocks. Zoonosis Pub Health 2012;59:139-143.
4. Gray GC, Bender JB, Bridges CB, Daly RF, Krueger WS, Male MJ, Heil GL, Friary JA, Derby RB, and Cox NJ.  Pandemic Influenza Virus among Healthy US Swine Show Pigs. Emerg Infect Dis, 2012;18:1519. PMCID: PMC3437725.

Infection control efforts in veterinary clinics to prevent health-care associated infections and zoonotic disease transmission. 
It has been recognized that healthcare associated infections are a problem in both human and veterinary medicine. As a hospital epidemiologist, I am required to consider patient placement, appropriate disinfection protocols, and staff practices that could allow animal to animal, animal to human, and human to animal transmission events. As such, I have facilitated on-going research to characterize the risk and implement methods to prevent disease transmission.  This includes efforts to promote appropriate antibiotic prescribing (e.g. stewardship).

1. Bender JB, Schiffman E, Hiber L, Gerads L, Olsen K. Recovery of staphylococci from computer keyboards in a veterinary medical centre and the effect of routine cleaning. Veterinary Record 2012;170:414.
2. Anderson ME, Burgess BA, Aceto HW, Bender JB, Clark C, Daniels JB, Davis MA, Hinchcliff KW, Johnson JR, McClure JT, Perkins GA, Pusterla N, Traub-Dargatz JL, Weese JS, Whittem TL, Morley PS.  Report of the third Havemeyer workshop on infection control in equine populations: Monterey, California, USA, September 2010.  Equine Vet J. 2013 Mar;45(2):131-6. doi: 10.1111/evj.12000.
3. Ruple-Czerniak AA, Aceto HW, Bender JB, Paradis MR, Shaw SP, Van Metre DC, Weese JS, Wilson DA, Wilson J, Morley PS.  Syndromic surveillance for evaluating the occurrence of healthcare-associated infections in equine hospitals.  Equine Vet J. 2013 Sep 12. doi: 10.1111/evj.12190. [Epub ahead of print] Available http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.12190/pdf].
4. Ruple AA, Aceto H, Bender JB, Paradis MR, Shaw SP, Van Metre DC, Weese JS, Wilson DA, Wilson J, Morley PS. Syndromic surveillance to estimate baseline rates for healthcare-associated infections in critical care units of small animal referral hospitals. J Vet Intern Med 2013;27:1392–1399.

Preventing Worker injury and illnesses
In partnership with our School of Public Health, we have better characterized worker related injuries and risk to animal workers and farmers. Specifically, as part of the Upper Midwest Agriculture Safety and Health Center we developed a number of outreach programs to better assess the risk of injuries and illness among agriculture workers and their families.  Many of these are outreach products such as videos, fact sheets or posters.

1. Buswell M, Hourigan M, Nault A, Bender JB. Needlestick Injuries in Agriculture Workers and Prevention Programs. J Agromedicine 2016;21:82-90. DOI:10.1080/1059924X.2015.1106996
2. Odo NU, Raynor PC, Beaudoin A, Somrongthong R, Scheftel JM, Donahue JG, Bender JB. Personal Protective Equipment Use and Hand Washing among Animal Farmers: A Multi-Site Assessment. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Hygiene. 2015;12:363-368.
3. Nordgren L, Gerberich S, Alexander B, Church T, Bender J, Ryan A. An epidemiological study of the magnitude and consequences of and risk factors for work-related injuries to veterinary technicians. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2014 Aug 15;245(4):425-33. doi: 10.2460/javma.245.4.425
4. Nordgren L, Gerberich S, Alexander B, Church T, Bender J, Ryan A. Risk factors for work-related bite injuries to Minnesota Certified Veterinary Technicians. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2014 Aug 15;245(4):434-40. doi: 10.2460/javma.245.4.434.  

See CV for list of all publications