PulseNet USA: A Five-Year Update

Abstract

PulseNet USA is the molecular surveillance network for foodborne infections in the United States. Since its inception in 1996, it has been instrumental in detection, investigation and control of numerous outbreaks caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:[H7] (STEC O157), Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella spp., and Campylobacter. This paper describes the current status of the network, including the methodologies used and its future possibilities. The currently preferred subtyping method in the network is pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), a proven highly discriminatory molecular subtyping method. New simpler sequencebased subtyping methods are under development and validation to complement and eventually replace PFGE. PulseNet is essentially a cluster detection network, but the data in the system will now also be used in attribution analyses of sporadic infections. The PulseNet platform will also be used as a primary tool in preparedness and response to acts of food bioterrorism.

Curing vector for IncI1 plasmids and its use to provide evidence for a metabolic burden of IncI1 CTX-M-1 plasmid pIFM3791 on Klebsiella pneumoniae

“…Macro-restriction profiles of strains were obtained by XbaI PFGE as described by the PulseNet network (Gerner-Smidt et al, 2006). Electrophoresis conditions were 14 C at 6 V cm À1 for 19.5 h, with switch times ranging from 2.2 to 54.2 s of linear ramping for the K. pneumoniae strains and 2.2 to 63.8 s for the S. enterica strains.…”

Gastrointestinal Disease Outbreak Detection Using Multiple Data Streams from Electronic Medical Records

“…Outbreaks of intermediate scope, such as those caused by contaminated commercial products, are often detected via laboratory testing. HDs can monitor for unusual increases in passive laboratory-based reports of notifiable diseases (CDC, 2009b) or for clusters of isolates with identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns (Swaminathan et al, 2001;Gerner-Smidt et al, 2006). However, some gastrointestinal (GI) pathogens are not nationally notifiable (e.g., norovirus, campylobacteriosis), and due to resource limitations at HDs, laboratory testing may be delayed.…”

Elucidating the Epidemiology of Human Salmonellosis: The Value of Systematic Laboratory Characterisation of Isolates

“…Further typing and subtyping by genome-based methods including pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), 37 multiple locus variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis Salmonella -Distribution, Adaptation, Control Measures and Molecular Technologies 6 (MLVA), multilocus sequence typing (MLST) can add value, however the discriminatory power of each molecular method may vary based on the serotype under consideration. In the not-too-distant future, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indeed whole genome sequencing may be employed to aid in investigating certain outbreaks.…”