APHL 2023 POSTER ABSTRACTS recovered from each kit following 24 hr incubation at ambient temperature . Here , the overall accuracy , precision , sensitivity , and specificity was 100 % for all kits .
Implementation : The DSHS Laboratory instituted several steps for GC AST implementation :
1 . LIMS system updated for specimen accession and result reporting .
2 . GC Specimen Collection and Shipping Guidance Document for inclusion with specimen shipping containers .
3 . Healthcare provider education about GC AST at the laboratory using webinar series , ListServ notification , and the Texas AR Laboratory website .
4 . GC Whole Genome Sequencing validation for non-susceptible or resistant specimens .
5 . A GC AST specimen recruitment letter sent to existing and potential submitters .
The successful implementation of GC AST at the DSHS Laboratory will allow for the rapid and accurate identification of drug resistant infections , especially ceftriaxone-resistant GC in Texas , so as to inform effective antimicrobial therapies . Additionally , susceptibility testing will contribute to quickly tracking and mitigating outbreaks .
Presenter : Naomi Niyah , Naomi . Niyah @ dshs . texas . gov
Viral Trends : A SARS-CoV-2 Timeline with Houston Texas
R . Penn , A . Lara , P . Brown , Y . Lai , M . Yerramilli , D . Corral ; Houston Health Department
Since its first report in late November to early December 2019 , the SARS-CoV-2 virus rapidly spread worldwide . Due to its highly mutagenic and infectious nature , tools were necessary to properly contribute to national SARS-CoV-2 surveillance efforts . Among those developments , whole genome sequencing ( WGS ) rose as an effective method to gather the genomic data necessary to understand the infectious trends and genetic diversity which emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic . Within Houston , the fourth most populated city in the United States , and neighboring counties , the Houston Health Department ( HHD ) Laboratory generated genomic data from 13,000 specimens using an amplicon-based whole genome sequencing approach on Illumina sequencing platforms . Between 2020 – 2022 , the HHD analyzed SARS-CoV-2 variants collected from over 50 unique zip codes across Harris and neighboring counties . Within this data , we highlight an emergent timeline of major variants that spread over the city and propose geographical trends of infection . We also compare clinical sequencing data to data from sequencing wastewater samples , and national trend data from the same timeframe . Additionally , we highlight demographic trends associated with major SARS- CoV-2 waves ( alpha , delta , omicron ) with respect to the age and socioeconomic status of the sampled Houston population . Present results demonstrate the viability of a real-time WGS methodology to understand the everchanging landscape of SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity within a population and inform public health for ongoing and future disease outbreaks .
Presenters : Adolfo Lara ( adolfo . lara @ houstontx . gov ) and Ryker Penn ( ryker . penn @ houstontx . gov )
Wastewater Surveillance for Candida auris Utilizing Digital PCR
K . Richbow Dozier , C . Carlisle , A . Janik ; Delaware Public Health Laboratory
A fungal species known as Candida auris is a multi-drug resistant yeast that is slated to become a serious global health threat . After being first identified in 2009 , within a few years it has become an emerging pathogen in hospitals . C . auris occurs more commonly in individuals who are immunocompromised , have frequent stays or long-term residency in a health care setting or utilize invasive medical devices ( i . e ., breathing tubes , feeding tubes and central venous catheters ). Infections caused by C . auris include but are not limited to : bloodstream , wound , respiratory and urine . C . auris is capable of colonizing on the skin prior to an infection occurring and can be transmitted from patient to patient . With the yeast ’ s high resistance to antifungal medications commonly used to treat Candida infections , it is sometimes impossible to treat . As C . auris continues to spread globally with more than 2,000 clinical cases appearing in the United States , healthcare settings are beginning to experience outbreaks among their patients even with enhanced infection control . Upon the introduction of the National Wastewater Surveillance System ( NWSS ), wastewater surveillance is increasingly being utilized to monitor communities for presence of infection resulting from viruses and other pathogens . The Delaware Public Health Laboratory delegated a project to an APHL fellow to develop and implement a molecular method to detect C . auris in wastewater utilizing digital PCR for quantitative presence of the fungus . As part of the NWSS , untreated wastewater will be collected from several treatment facilities within the state of Delaware . The wastewater samples will be concentrated in the laboratory using the InnovaPrep Concentrating Pipette Select . Concentrated samples will then undergo DNA extraction using the Qiagen QIAcube Connect and DNA quantification using the Qiagen QIAcuity . Next generation sequencing will be conducted on extracted wastewater samples using the Illumina MiSeq and QIAxcel Connect . After successfully validating the data , this method can become an opportunity for healthcare settings to join wastewater surveillance testing to control the spread of C . auris and prevent potential outbreaks from occurring in the future .
Presenter : Kailene Richbow Dozier , kaidozier @ gmail . com
West Nile Virus Surveillance in Ohio S . Anders , L . Garrett , E . Leasure ; Ohio Department of Health
West Nile Virus ( WNV ) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States . WNV is most commonly spread to people from an infected mosquito . Culex mosquitoes are the primary vector of transmission . WNV is a zoonotic disease that can cause mild symptoms , such as fever ( 1 in 5 people infected ) to severe illness such as encephalitis or meningitis ( 1 in 150 people infected ). There is no vaccine to prevent infection or medicines to help treat symptoms . WNV surveillance is important to detect seasonal epidemics and to perform prevention and control strategies . In 2022 , 51 counties across Ohio participated in WNV surveillance by collecting mosquitoes and sending them to the Ohio Department of Health Laboratory ( ODHL ). The entomology laboratorians examined the mosquitoes under a microscope to determine species and sex . Culex species and female mosquitoes were selected to be tested , as male mosquitoes do not feed on
PublicHealthLabs |
@ APHL |
APHL . org |
Fall 2023 LAB MATTERS 107 |