Enhancing the Capacity and Capability of Human Food and Environmental Testing Laboratory at the Texas Department of State Health Services: Microbiology Whole Genome Sequencing

Project Summary Discipline A Microbiology, Track 4 Whole Genome Sequencing The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Laboratory Services Section (LSS) is one of the largest public health laboratories in the United States. As a member of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Emergency Response Network (FERN), GenomeTrakr Network and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) PulseNet, it is committed to improving food testing surveillance, inspection, and investigation in the State of Texas. Detection of foodborne pathogens performed in Texas is important for the state, region, and nation due in part to its extensive border with Mexico where agricultural products enter the country; LSS identifies hundreds of foodborne bacterial pathogen clusters each year. By using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) the LSS Advanced Molecular Microbiology Group plans to sequence at least 400 Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and other related bacterial isolates from food and environmental samples. Potential sources of the isolates include the LSS internal food testing laboratory, the FDA National Antimicrobial Resistant Monitoring System (NARMS) meat program, USDA, and universities with testing and research laboratories. The LSS an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory that adheres to standard regulatory testing methodologies and reporting requirements. With 5 MiSeq sequencers, LSS has the capability and capacity to sequence ~250-300 isolates per week. LSS currently submits sequences to the CDC PulseNet database for organisms including Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli O157 and non-O157 STEC, Shigella, Campylobacter, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio cholera. The LSS is committed to its partnership with the FDA and will continue to participate in FERN and GenomeTrakr activities that include but are not limited to meetings, multi-lab validation studies, and training and mentoring to other state laboratories. With the support of this grant, DSHS LSS will be able to enhance its response to food testing emergencies and improve foodborne illness investigations to ensure the safety of human food and food products in Texas and the nation.