Book Description
Globally, there is growing recognition of foodborne diseases as a public health priority. From a public health perspective, foodborne diseases are largely preventable, and can be controlled through effective food safety systems that evaluate hazards along the food chain, from production to consumption. An integrated food chain surveillance system can detect and monitor foodborne bacteria, including antimicrobial resistant bacteria, throughout the food chain. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has the potential to change how we detect and monitor microbial hazards in the food chain, as well as how we assess, investigate and manage food safety risks. It is anticipated that this new technology will help reduce the burden of foodborne diseases, given its advantages over previous low-resolution typing and detection methods. The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance on: - The capacities that need to be in place before WGS can be useful for foodborne disease surveillance and response; - The options for implementing WGS; and - How to implement WGS within existing surveillance and response systems. This module discusses how WGS can be used to support foodborne disease outbreak investigations. It is meant for countries in the initial stages of laboratory-based surveillance for selected foodborne pathogens. The module describes how WGS can be used in the investigation of outbreaks detected by existing surveillance systems.
