Diet has minimal effect on <i>Salmonella</i> Typhimurium infection in the gut of a cockroach vector despite altering the microbiome

German cockroaches are one of the most common structural pests worldwide, while <i>Salmonella enterica</i> serovar Typhimurium is an emerging human pathogen accounting for a significant portion of the global burden of enteric disease. Understanding the factors that contribute to the ability of cockroaches to transmit pathogens is important for infection prevention, but these remain almost entirely unknown. Here, we provide new insight into the variables involved in the vector competence of cockroaches.