Zoonotic Diseases | Interview with the Authors—Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum, Ms. Viona Osei and Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire
Recommendation from Editor-in-Chief: “The review, entitled “Salmonellosis in Cattle: Sources and Risk of Infection, Control, and Prevention”, by Bentum et al. provides a valuable synthesis of insights into the increasingly important global zoonotic public health challenges of salmonellosis from the perspective of cattle production and explores diverse measures that can be implemented to mitigate the threats of infection with this pathogen. Effective prevention and control measures for Salmonella infections of cattle are needed to prevent the prominent food-borne transmission to humans of these bacteria that are increasingly characterized by emergence of multidrug resistant strains. Bentum et al. examine risk factors for introduction and persistence of Salmonella on cattle farms, explore intervention strategies, and conclude that a holistic, all stakeholders, farm focused approach is needed to reduce introduction of Salmonella into the human food chain.” – Prof. Dr. Stephen K. Wikel
“Salmonellosis in Cattle: Sources and Risk of Infection, Control, and Prevention”
by Kingsley E. Bentum, Emmanuel Kuufire, Rejoice Nyarku, Viona Osei, Stuart Price, Dianna Bourassa, Temesgen Samuel, Charlene R. Jackson and Woubit Abebe
Zoonotic Dis. 2025, 5(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/zoonoticdis5010004
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0227/5/1/4
1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and describe your main research focus?
Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum: I am a researcher in veterinary and food safety sciences with a strong interest in zoonotic pathogens and their impact on both animal and public health. My research focuses primarily on foodborne bacterial pathogens, particularly Salmonella, and how these organisms move through animal production systems and eventually affect humans. I am especially interested in understanding the transmission dynamics of these pathogens in food animals, the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance, and evidence-based strategies for disease prevention and control within a One Health framework. My work aims to bridge the gap between veterinary medicine, food safety, public health, and emerging technologies. I am interested not only in identifying pathogens but also in understanding the environmental, management, and behavioral factors that contribute to their persistence and spread. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to safer food systems, improved animal health, and reduced risks of zoonotic disease transmission to communities worldwide.
Ms. Viona Osei: I am a PhD candidate specializing in foodborne pathogens, particularly Listeria and Salmonella. My research takes a multidisciplinary approach, combining microbiology, molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics to study the detection, differentiation, and transmission of foodborne pathogens. A key focus of my work is understanding how these organisms move through the food chain and the environmental, animal, and production factors that facilitate their transmission to humans. I adopt a One Health perspective, linking environmental, food, animal, and human health to better understand and mitigate food safety risks. I am particularly interested in microorganisms that have major implications for public health. My work is driven by curiosity about microbial behavior in food production environments and a goal of improving food safety through stronger scientific evidence.
Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire: I’m Emmanuel Kuufire, a PhD student in interdisciplinary pathobiology. My research focuses on zoonotic diseases, food safety, and pathogen surveillance. I am particularly interested in Salmonella epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, the use of machine learning, bioinformatics and other statistical approaches to improving disease prevention and control through detection in animal production systems and various clinical settings.
2. What motivated you to pursue this field of zoonotic diseases?Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum: What motivated me most was recognizing how closely connected animal health, environmental health, and human health truly are. Many infectious diseases that affect humans originate from animals, and foodborne outbreaks linked to livestock continue to pose serious global public health concerns. Seeing the real-world impact of these diseases inspired me to pursue research that could contribute to preventing infections before they reach people. For me, zoonotic disease research is not only a scientific pursuit but also a way of contributing to society in a meaningful and long-term way. I became particularly interested in how preventive strategies at the animal production level can reduce downstream human infections and improve food safety overall. My motivation is also rooted in the desire to help integrate both animal and human health systems while contributing solutions that benefit people and communities over time. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of the field attracted me greatly. Zoonotic disease research combines microbiology, epidemiology, veterinary medicine, food safety, public health, bioinformatics, and, increasingly, data science and artificial intelligence. This creates opportunities to develop innovative approaches to disease surveillance, prediction, and prevention that can have a broad global impact.
Ms. Viona Osei: My motivation comes from a strong interest in microbiology and a desire to understand biological systems that directly affect food safety and human health. I am fascinated by how microorganisms interact within food systems and influence outcomes that impact everyday life. Over time, I became especially interested in zoonotic and foodborne pathogens because of their complex transmission pathways between animals, food, and humans. This field allows me to connect fundamental microbiology with real-world public health challenges. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to improving food safety and reducing microbial risks through better scientific understanding.
Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire: I was motivated by the growing impact of zoonotic diseases on public health and food safety. Understanding how pathogens move between animals and humans inspired me to contribute to research that supports disease prevention and safer food systems.
3. What direction do you think your field is heading towards?Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum: I believe the field is increasingly shifting toward prevention at the pre-harvest level, particularly on farms and within animal production systems. Traditionally, much emphasis has been placed on detecting pathogens during food processing and post-harvest stages. However, there is growing recognition that controlling pathogens at their source is one of the most effective ways to improve food safety and protect public health. Future research will likely focus more on proactive rather than reactive approaches. Instead of responding after outbreaks occur, researchers and public health professionals are now exploring methods to predict zoonotic outbreaks before they even begin. This includes improving pre-harvest detection systems, developing real-time surveillance strategies, and identifying environmental and management-related risk factors that contribute to pathogen emergence and spread. Another major direction is the integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, genomics, and Big Data analytics. These tools have enormous potential to enhance predictive investigations, identify disease trends earlier, and improve decision-making in animal and public health systems. I believe that combining biological sciences with computational and predictive technologies will play a major role in the future of zoonotic disease research and food safety management. The One Health approach will also continue to grow in importance, encouraging stronger collaboration among veterinarians, physicians, environmental scientists, epidemiologists, and policymakers in addressing complex disease challenges globally.
Ms. Viona Osei: I believe the field is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, which is essential for addressing complex zoonotic disease challenges. Researchers are now combining microbiology, veterinary science, environmental health, and public health to better understand disease systems as a whole. This integrated approach is helping create a more comprehensive understanding of how zoonotic diseases emerge and spread, thereby improving prevention and control strategies.
Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire: The field is moving toward more interdisciplinary and technology-driven approaches, including genomics, artificial intelligence, and predictive disease surveillance. There is also increasing emphasis on the One Health approach, which connects human, animal, and environmental health.
4. Why did you choose MDPI’s Zoonotic Diseases as a platform for your work? Do you have suggestions for other scholars who are unsure which journal to submit to?Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum: One of the main reasons we selected Zoonotic Diseases as the platform for this work was its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research connecting animal health, human health, and public health. Our review addressed transmission pathways, risk factors, prevention strategies, and the broader public health implications of salmonellosis in cattle, making the journal a natural fit for our study.
Ms. Viona Osei: We chose Zoonotic Diseases because it aligns well with the scope of our research and its One Health focus. The journal provides a suitable platform for studies that bridge microbiology, veterinary science, and public health, ensuring that the work reaches an audience directly engaged in zoonotic disease research and control. For researchers selecting journals, I would suggest carefully matching the scope of the journal with the study’s central message and intended audience, especially for interdisciplinary One Health research.
Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire: We chose Zoonotic Diseases because the journal aligns well with our research interests in public health and animal-associated diseases. For other researchers, I would recommend selecting journals that closely match the scope of their work and target audience rather than focusing only on impact factor.
5. Regarding your paper, “Salmonellosis in Cattle: Sources and Risk of Infection, Control, and Prevention,” what would you consider as being the main impact of this study?Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum: One of the major impacts of this study is that it reinforces the importance of viewing cattle farms and animal production systems as critical control points in preventing zoonotic foodborne disease transmission. Rather than focusing only on contamination during processing or retail stages, the paper highlights the need for preventive interventions earlier in the production chain. The review provides a comprehensive overview of the major sources and risk factors associated with salmonellosis in cattle, including environmental contamination, feed, water, animal management practices, and antimicrobial resistance concerns. By bringing together current knowledge on transmission dynamics and prevention strategies, the paper helps emphasize the importance of integrated control measures across the entire food production continuum. Another key contribution is the emphasis on collaboration under a One Health framework. Effective prevention of zoonotic diseases such as salmonellosis requires coordinated efforts among farmers, veterinarians, researchers, public health professionals, regulators, and the food industry. The paper highlights how interdisciplinary cooperation is essential for improving disease surveillance, strengthening biosecurity, reducing antimicrobial resistance risks, and ultimately protecting public health. We also hope the review encourages greater investment in preventive research, surveillance systems, and evidence-based farm management practices that can reduce pathogen transmission before it reaches the consumer level.
Ms. Viona Osei: The main impact of this study is to highlight cattle production systems as a key point for preventing human salmonellosis. It shows how Salmonella can enter and persist in herds, making farm-level prevention critical to reducing risks in the food chain. The study also underscores the need for a One Health approach that involves farmers, veterinarians, industry stakeholders, and regulators. Strengthening surveillance, biosecurity, and early intervention is essential for effective control.
Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire: The study highlights the important role cattle play as reservoirs of Salmonella and summarizes key risk factors, transmission routes, and prevention strategies. It contributes to better understanding and awareness of foodborne disease control in livestock systems.
6. What are the main challenges in your field when conducting research?Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum: One major challenge in zoonotic disease research is the complexity of disease transmission itself as most pathogens often move simultaneously through animals, humans, wildlife, food systems, and the environment. This makes it difficult to identify and control every contributing factor. These interconnected pathways require multidisciplinary collaboration and large-scale data collection, which can be both scientifically and logistically demanding. Additionally, translating research findings into practical and widely adopted interventions can be challenging. Scientific recommendations must often balance animal health, economic realities, farm management practices, and public health priorities simultaneously. Despite these challenges, the field remains highly rewarding because of its direct impact on food safety, animal welfare, and human health globally.
Ms. Viona Osei: A key challenge is engaging effectively with stakeholders such as farmers and livestock producers. Research findings related to pathogen detection can sometimes raise concerns about animal health status or production practices. This makes communication and trust-building essential. Researchers must present findings clearly and responsibly, ensuring that results are interpreted in context and can be used constructively to improve food safety without creating unnecessary alarm.
Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire: Some major challenges include limited funding, difficulties in long-term surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, and the complexity of tracking pathogen transmission between animals, humans, and the environment.
7. Do you have advice regarding publishing and peer-review for other fellow early career researchers and/or PhD students working in this area?Dr. Kingsley Emmanuel Bentum: My advice to early career researchers and PhD students is to view peer review as a valuable learning opportunity rather than as criticism. Reviewer comments, even when challenging, can significantly strengthen a manuscript if approached constructively and professionally. Some of the most impactful improvements in scientific papers often come through the revision process. Persistence is also extremely important in academic publishing. Rejections, revisions, and delays are normal parts of the research journey and are experienced by nearly every researcher. It is important not to become discouraged by setbacks. Instead, focus on continuously improving your scientific writing, research design, and analytical skills over time. Finally, I believe researchers should prioritize conducting meaningful and scientifically rigorous work rather than chasing publication numbers alone. High-quality research that addresses real-world problems and contributes to public health will always have a long-term impact and value.
Ms. Viona Osei: For early career researchers, it is important to clearly connect zoonotic findings to human health relevance while maintaining methodological rigor and reproducibility, especially in genomic analyses. Avoid overinterpreting transmission patterns and ensure conclusions are well supported by the data. Focus on key findings rather than excessive detail, and use a clear One Health framing only when it is justified by the results. Being transparent about limitations, seeking informal peer feedback before submission, and selecting journals strategically can significantly improve clarity, impact, and acceptance outcomes.
Dr. Emmanuel Kuufire: My advice is to stay persistent, be open to feedback, and focus on producing quality research. Peer review should be seen as an opportunity to improve your work, and collaboration and mentorship are also very important for career development.