Key points
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a more thorough method to gather information on bacteria than traditional (older) methods. ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø and PulseNet USA are assisting global PulseNet International partners with applying WGS methods into their laboratories.
Takeaways
Vision: To save lives and money by using WGS in all public health laboratories globally to improve our response to foodborne illnesses and outbreaks.
Mission: To standardize methods and share information in real time within regional and global laboratory networks. This supports disease tracking and outbreak response.
Status: PulseNet International has developed, validated, and issued standardized procedures for global partners to perform WGS.
Process
Steps that PulseNet International is taking to standardize WGS:
- Share laboratory protocols for different sequencing platforms.
- Provide results from validation studies.
- Establish a quality control and assurance program.
PulseNet International is standardizing how WGS data is analyzed by using a method called core genome multi-locus sequencing typing (cgMLST), also known as the gene-by-gene approach. This method was chosen because:
- It can be standardized.
- It offers high epidemiological continuity.
- It generates stable and portable results that can be easily shared and compared.
- Strains can be named in a way that reflects their similarity to each other.
- Data can be analyzed by laboratorians without formal training in bioinformatics.
- Information such as antimicrobial resistance and serotype, can be identified at the same time.
- Analysis tools can be established in the public domain.