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Title: Update on USDA VetNet Salmonella Database, 2004 - Present

Author
item Cray, Paula
item Jackson, Charlene
item Pearson-Gresham, Cheryl
item Hall, Mary
item McGlinchey, Beth
item Plumblee Lawrence, Jodie

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2008
Publication Date: 4/15/2008
Citation: Cray, P.J., Jackson, C.R., Pearson Gresham, C., Hall, M.C., Mcglinchey, B., Plumblee, J. 2008. Update on USDA VetNet Salmonella Database, 2004 - Present [abstract]. Annual PulseNet Update Meeting, April 15-19, 2008, St. Louis, Missouri. 14.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: USDA VetNet commenced in March 2004. The objectives of USDA VetNet are to determine PFGE patterns of Salmonella isolates submitted to the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), to compare USDA VetNet and PulseNet PFGE patterns, and to use the comparative data for surveillance and assistance with food-borne illness outbreaks as well as carriage/disease within animals. As of March, 2008, 14,000 patterns had been submitted to the VetNet Salmonella database. All methodology related to PFGE are comparable to those used for PulseNet to ensure harmonization between programs. All isolates were restricted with a single enzyme, XbaI, and when requested, isolates were restricted with a second enzyme, BlnI. Data were analyzed using BioNumerics. The most common serotypes in the database are Kentucky and Typhimurium while the most common patterns in the database are Kentucky pattern JGPX01.0003 ARS and Enteritidis pattern JEGX01.0003 ARS. Beginning in June of 2007, corresponding PulseNet pattern names (if available) were given to all patterns submitted to the VetNet database with serotypes in the top 30 of PHLIS data. Later on that year, PulseNet was provided logins and passwords to connect to the VetNet database and the VetNet database manager began checking clusters posted on WebBoard against patterns in the VetNet database. In January 2008, VetNet notified PulseNet of an increase in VetNet pattern JIXX01.0006 ARS (PulseNet pattern JIXX01.0081), and PulseNet was able to identify a multi-state cluster of nine isolates matching the VetNet pattern. These data demonstrate the ability of VetNet to provide an early warning to PulseNet of potential food-borne outbreak patterns, identify emerging patterns in Salmonella isolates recovered from slaughter/processing plants, and facilitate transferring this information back to the industry for development of mitigation strategies. In the future, VetNet will include web-based access which will enable participants to view and submit patterns.