ARS | Publication request: USDA VetNet database for regulatory and outbreak investigation of food safety pathogens

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 29, 2010
Publication Date: October 29, 2010
Citation: Cray, P.J., Jackson, C.R., Hall, M.C., Jain, L., Turpin, J.B., Haro, J.H., Ball, T.A., Plumblee, J. 2010. USDA VetNet database for regulatory and outbreak investigation of food safety pathogens. CDC - Food Industry Safe Foods Forum. October 29, 2010. Atlanta, GA.

Technical Abstract: Tracking food borne disease outbreaks is part of comprehensive disease surveillance. In the United States the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) established PulseNet to fill this role. Using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), Salmonella and other food borne bacterial isolates are submitted to state public health laboratories, subjected to PFGE and analyzed by CDC during outbreak investigations to detect food borne disease case clusters. To further assist CDC during outbreak investigations, USDA launched USDA VetNet in 2004. The system is comparable to PulseNet differing only in sample source; all Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates originate from federally inspected slaughter and processing plants as part of the USDA FSIS regulatory activities. Isolates are subjected to PFGE and uploaded into the USDA VetNet database prior to comparison with the PulseNet database. Data are used to assist both FSIS and CDC in regulatory and outbreak investigations. Since inception, over 19,000 PFGE patterns for Salmonella have been entered into the database representing 150 confirmed serotypes and 110 antigenic formulas. An overview of USDA VetNet will be presented.