The primary goal of this project is to support Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by performing whole genome sequencing on isolates collected from human and or animal food for bacterial pathogens thereby assisting trace back investigations across the State of Michigan. For this project MDHHS will test approximately 400 isolates from human food, animal food, environmental and water samples by Whole Genome Sequencing and upload the results in real-time to NCBI-NIH database. The laboratory will participate in the GenomeTrakr network. Participation will include meetings, conference calls, proficiency testing and helping with activities such as overflow testing from network partners. A microbiologist will also attend an annual GenomeTrakr meeting and the annual LFFM face-to-face meeting. Participating in the GenomeTrakr network will increase MDHHS? capabilities and ability to compare and analyze sequences that will improve and accelerate outbreak investigations. The laboratory routinely performs sequencing for Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E.coli, Campylobacter, and Vibrio but is also able to sequence other organisms that may be of interest to FDA.
Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) is poised to provide considerable improvements in the management of food safety worldwide. It represents a significant new tool in the area of food safety, including foodborne disease surveillance, food inspection (testing) and monitoring, outbreak detection and investigation, and food technology developments. MDHHS BOL is a CDC PulseNet regional laboratory. This network enables the rapid detection of local and national clusters of foodborne illness. Rapid detection has a tremendous impact in developing public health strategies to implement remedial action for food borne illness across the State of Michigan.
