Incorporating Whole-Genome Sequencing into Public Health Surveillance: Lessons from Prospective Sequencing of Salmonella Typhimurium in Australia

L Ford; GP Carter; Q Wang; T Seemann; V Sintchenko; K Glass; DA Williamson; P Howard; M Valcanis; CFS Castillo; M Sait; BP Howden; MD Kirk

Journal article

Incorporating Whole-Genome Sequencing into Public Health Surveillance: Lessons from Prospective Sequencing of Salmonella Typhimurium in Australia

L Ford, GP Carter, Q Wang, T Seemann, V Sintchenko, K Glass, DA Williamson, P Howard, M Valcanis, CFS Castillo, M Sait, BP Howden, MD Kirk

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease | MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC | Published : 2018

DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2017.2352

Abstract

In Australia, the incidence of Salmonella Typhimurium has increased dramatically over the past decade. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is transforming public health microbiology, but poses challenges for surveillance. To compare WGS-based approaches with conventional typing for Salmonella surveillance, we performed concurrent WGS and multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) of Salmonella Typhimurium isolates from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) for a period of 5 months. We exchanged data via a central shared virtual machine and performed comparative genomic analyses. Epidemiological evidence was integrated with WGS-derived data to identify related isolates and sources of..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Glen Carter Author

Torsten Seemann Author

Deborah Williamson Author

Michelle Sait Author

Related Projects (2)

IMPROVING PREVENTION, TRACKING AND TREATMENT OF MAJOR HUMAN BACTERIAL PATHOGENS

This research fellowship will lead to a detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which bacteria become resistant to antibiotics and cause..

A NEW GENOMIC FRONTIER FOR FOODBORNE DISEASE INVESTIGATION IN AUSTRALIA

Foodborne diseases caused by bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter are a huge public health problem, both in Australia and globally...

Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

The authors thank ACT Health and OzFoodNet. They also thank the laboratories that performed the serotyping, MLVA, and WGS, including the MDU PHL, the ICPMR, and Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services (FSS). Doherty Applied Microbial Genomics is funded by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Melbourne. The National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia, funded a Practitioner Fellowship GNT1105905 to B.P.H. and Project Grant GNT1129770 to B.P.H., D.A.W, and M.D.K. Finally, they thank Milica Stefanovic, Russel Stafford, Kirsty Hope, Craig Shadbolt, and John Bates for their contribution to this project. This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.