Transforming Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli surveillance through whole genome sequencing in food safety practices.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a gastrointestinal pathogen causing foodborne outbreaks. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) in STEC surveillance holds promise in outbreak prevention and confinement, in broadening STEC epidemiology and in contributing to risk assessment and source attribution. However, despite international recommendations, WGS is often restricted to assist outbreak investigation and is not yet fully implemented in food safety surveillance across all European countries, in contrast to for example in the United States.

Methods

In this study, WGS was retrospectively applied to isolates collected within the context of Belgian food safety surveillance and combined with data from clinical isolates to evaluate its benefits. A cross-s

SUBMITTER: Nouws S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10381951 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature