Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #188730
Title: GENOMIC METHODS FOR TYPING SALMONELLA ENTERICA CLONES

Author
item Frye, Jonathan
item Cray, Paula
item Jackson, Charlene
item Englen, Mark
item Jesse, Troy

Submitted to: U.S. Poultry Food Safety Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/2005
Publication Date: 12/8/2005
Citation: Frye, J.G., Cray, P.J., Jackson, C.R., Englen, M.D., Jesse, T.W. 2005. Genomic methods for typing salmonella enterica clones. U.S. Poultry Food Safety Conference. .

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Salmonella causes approximately 1.4 million illnesses each year and is the number two food borne disease in the US. Therefore, it is necessary to be able to trace an illness back to a contaminated food source to lessen the impact of an outbreak and to prevent future outbreaks. To do this the clone responsible for an outbreak must be identified. This is currently done by techniques like Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), Multi Locus Variable-repeat Analysis (MLVA), Ribotyping, etc. However these techniques are slow, difficult to reproduce and require extensive training to master. This study presents the utilization of genomic analysis of Salmonella to develop a multiplex PCR assay to identify serotypes. This assay can be done rapidly, with minimal training, is highly reproducible and could potentially augment or replace the other techniques. Multiplex PCR can be easily done with standard lab equipment and will allow better identification of outbreaks and attribution to food sources in clinical, industrial, environmental and research laboratories. This technique has also been modified to automated high throughput methods which could potentially analyze dozens of isolates in as little as an hour. This work will impact food producers, regulatory agencies and public health agencies by improving attribution of Salmonella infections to food sources thus allowing intervention to diminish the number of costly outbreaks. This improvement could potential benefit the consumer with safer food and fewer illnesses per year.