Pulsenet - Tracking of Foodborne Disease

The US surveillance system for tracking foodborne illnesses, or PulseNet, is 20 years old.  Through time, the technology has improved and its reach is now global. 

In the US, the system is comprised by a network of 83 laboratories linked to the CDC in Atlanta.  Using genetic identification technology, including Whole Genome Sequencing or WGS, it can identify outbreak clusters through matching bacterial isolates involved in cases.  This information is then used to help identify the source of the outbreak.

This article in EMBO is a nice summary of Pulsenet and how it has impacted food safety.

EMBO Reports
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.15252/embr.201643128/full
Future challenges for tracking foodborne diseases

PulseNet, a 20-year-old US surveillance system for foodborne diseases, is expanding both globally and technologically

Authors - Efrain M Ribot and Kelly B Hise
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
First published: 19 September 2016Full publication history