Thomas Riley
Professor Riley divides his time in Perth, Western Australia, between PathWest Laboratory Medicine, WA’s public sector pathology service provider where he is a Senior Clinical Scientist, and The University of Western Australia where he is a Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences, with Adjunct positions at Curtin, Murdoch and Edith Cowan universities. He has had a long-standing interest in diagnostic microbiology and healthcare-related infections, particularly the diagnosis, pathogenesis and epidemiology of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI). This had led to a One Health approach to the CDI problem resulting in a greater focus on C. difficile in animals, particularly food animals. The final element of One Health, the environment, has assumed greater importance with contamination of soil such as soil used to grow vegetables. He has published >450 book chapters and refereed journal articles, including >250 on C. difficile.
FeaturesClostridioides difficile: the unseen passenger from farm to fork
Once known as a hospital superbug, Clostridioides difficile is now turning up in surprising places – production animal farms, soil, retail meats, vegetables, ready-to-eat salads, and even household kitchens. Recent research suggests this gut pathogen may not be confined to just hospital wards but is moving through our food chain, raising questions regarding how C. difficile finds its way to our plates, and what might be the result.