DNA Test Tracks Foodborne Illness Outbreak

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientists used a new genome sequencing test to retrospectively examine the 2009-10 Salmonella Montevideo outbreak that sickened nearly 300 people in 44 states and the District of Columbia to help trace the source of the infection. The findings suggest the new test may help augment future outbreak investigations.

Field investigators collected samples of the suspect product to find the source of the contamination; however, conventional laboratory testing methods could not distinguish between the outbreak involving spiced meat and certain previous Salmonella contamination events. FDA analysts turned to next-generation sequencing (NGS) to test 35 samples suspected of being contaminated with the Salmonella strain. The samples came from suppliers, consumers who became ill and a variety of food sources from a broad range of places and times. Test results revealed a single food facility was the common origin of the outbreak strain and a spiced meat rub was the single source.

Sources:

* FDA: FDA: Advanced genomic test helps trace sources of foodborne illness outbreak