PulseNet International: Vision for the implementation of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for global food-borne disease surveillance.
Nadon, Celine Van Walle, Ivo Gerner-Smidt, Peter Campos, Josefina Chinen, Isabel Concepcion-Acevedo, Jeniffer Gilpin, Brent Smith, Anthony M Man Kam, Kai Perez, Enrique
Nadon, Celine
Van Walle, Ivo
Gerner-Smidt, Peter
Campos, Josefina
Chinen, Isabel
Concepcion-Acevedo, Jeniffer
Gilpin, Brent
Smith, Anthony M
Man Kam, Kai
Perez, Enrique
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Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2017
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
PulseNet International: Vision for the implementation of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for global food-borne disease surveillance.
Translated Title
Published in
Euro Surveill 2017, 22(23): pii:30544
Abstract
PulseNet International is a global network dedicated to laboratory-based surveillance for food-borne diseases. The network comprises the national and regional laboratory networks of Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the United States. The PulseNet International vision is the standardised use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) to identify and subtype food-borne bacterial pathogens worldwide, replacing traditional methods to strengthen preparedness and response, reduce global social and economic disease burden, and save lives. To meet the needs of real-time surveillance, the PulseNet International network will standardise subtyping via WGS using whole genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST), which delivers sufficiently high resolution and epidemiological concordance, plus unambiguous nomenclature for the purposes of surveillance. Standardised protocols, validation studies, quality control programmes, database and nomenclature development, and training should support the implementation and decentralisation of WGS. Ideally, WGS data collected for surveillance purposes should be publicly available, in real time where possible, respecting data protection policies. WGS data are suitable for surveillance and outbreak purposes and for answering scientific questions pertaining to source attribution, antimicrobial resistance, transmission patterns, and virulence, which will further enable the protection and improvement of public health with respect to food-borne disease.