FEATURE SPOTLIGHT: GLOBAL HEALTH
From Training to Trust: How PulseNet International Is Strengthening Foodborne Disease Surveillance
By Angela Poates, lead specialist, Global Health
three regions have passed certification, proving their ability to produce sequence data which passes PNI quality benchmarks.
Svetlana Colac, of Moldova ' s National Agency for Public Health, demonstrates dilution of sequencing libraries during a PulseNet Eastern Europe Central Asia training workshop.
Because our world is so interconnected, foods— and any pathogens they may harbor— routinely cross borders, making foodborne safety a global concern. Foodborne disease and antimicrobial resistant( AR) enteric pathogens endanger food security, economic stability and global health. PulseNet International( PNI), headquartered at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, plays a crucial role in strengthening global capacity for genomic surveillance of enteric pathogens and AR.
Over the past three years, APHLsupported PulseNet International activities have advanced global capacity for enteric pathogen genomic surveillance through a robust program of training and collaboration activities. These activities target challenges many countries face when implementing genomic surveillance: wet lab and bioinformatic capabilities, quality assurance and challenges with data sharing.
Six regional trainings covering two different sequencing chemistry types equipped dozens of scientists with laboratory and bioinformatics skills across Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe / Central Asia( EECA). Trainees participated in week-long trainings that included hands-on library preparation, sequencing and data analysis. Despite the explosion of next generation sequencing( NGS) capacity post-COVID-19, many countries still lack trained bioinformaticians or sufficient IT infrastructure for processing large amounts of sequencing data. PulseNet International trainings provided an accessible, cloud-based platform which does not require high power computing power and provided scientists with the ability to analyze their sequencing data without specialized bioinformatics skills.
Complementing these efforts, two regions have participated in feasibility studies designed to demonstrate the laboratories’ ability to generate and analyze quality sequence data from foodborne pathogens. Participating sites sequenced and analyzed 100 isolates of enteric pathogens of concern for their region. This provided PNI members an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to utilize sequencing for public health impact in their respective countries. In addition to participating in the feasibility studies, sites that received Illumina training also piloted and launched the newly developed PNI certification program. To date, 22 scientists across
To foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among and across the regions, PNI has also convened five regional meetings over the last three years. It has also expanded its governance framework by establishing a new region( PNI EECA) and electing new regional coordinators and steering committees for PN Africa and PN Middle East. Not only do these efforts collectively aim to standardize practices and enhance outbreak detection and response capacity across regions, but they also establish trust among PNI members, which is the first step to successful data-sharing initiatives.
Looking ahead, PNI will focus on disseminating findings from its feasibility studies, expanding certification programs and launching a community-of-practice to sustain collaboration, communication and trust. Additional priorities include developing a data-sharing dashboard, providing tools to PNI partners for harmonized global cluster detection and finalizing overarching and regional governance documents. Together, these initiatives will strengthen global genomic surveillance networks, provide regional self-sufficiency in outbreak detection and response, and foster a culture that is supportive of data sharing for enhanced global food safety. g
PulseNet Asia Pacific members with their certificates after completing a MiSeq training course in Melbourne, Australia in February 2024.
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