Seven Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreaks in Australia Linked by Trace-Back and Whole Genome Sequencing.

2018

Ford, Laura

Wang, Qinning

Stafford, Russell

Ressler, Kelly-Anne

Norton, Sophie

Shadbolt, Craig

Hope, Kirsty

Franklin, Neil

Krsteski, Radomir

Carswell, Adrienne

Carter, Glen P

Seemann, Torsten

Howard, Peter

Valcanis, Mary

Castillo, Cristina Fabiola Sotomayor

Bates, John

Glass, Kathryn

Williamson, Deborah A

Sintchenko, Vitali

Howden, Benjamin P

Kirk, Martyn D

Salmonella Typhimurium

eggs

outbreaks

trace-back

whole genome sequencing

Journal Article

10.1089/fpd.2017.2353

Salmonella Typhimurium is a common cause of foodborne illness in Australia. We report on seven outbreaks of Salmonella Typhimurium multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) 03-26-13-08-523 (European convention 2-24-12-7-0212) in three Australian states and territories investigated between November 2015 and March 2016. We identified a common egg grading facility in five of the outbreaks. While no Salmonella Typhimurium was detected at the grading facility and eggs could not be traced back to a particular farm, whole genome sequencing (WGS) of isolates from cases from all seven outbreaks indicated a common source. WGS was able to provide higher discriminatory power than MLVA and will likely link more Salmonella Typhimurium cases between states and territories in the future. National harmonization of Salmonella surveillance is important for effective implementation of WGS for Salmonella outbreak investigations.

link

Foodborne pathogens and disease 2018; 15(5): 285-292

Foodborne pathogens and disease