Considerations in centralizing whole genome sequencing for microbiology in a public health setting

Whole genome sequencing in clinical and public health microbiology

Genomics and whole genome sequencing (WGS) have the capacity to greatly enhance knowledge and understanding of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology.The growth and availability of bench-top WGS analysers has facilitated the feasibility of genomics in clinical and public health microbiology.Given current resource and infrastructure limitations, WGS is most applicable to use in public hea...

Routine Use of Microbial Whole Genome Sequencing in Diagnostic and Public Health Microbiology

1 Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2 Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Health Protection Agency Microbiology Services, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 3 The Medical School University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews Fife, United Kingdom, 4 The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome...

Improving Exploitation of Whole Genome Sequencing Data for Public Health, Forensic Microbiology and Biosafety

Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive spore forming rod-shaped bacteIn this issue of EBioMedicine, Keim and colleagues (Keim et al., rium, is the causative agent of anthrax. This zoonotic disease principally affects herbivores but B. anthracis can also infect other livestock and wildlife species (WHO, 1998). Human cases mainly occur sporadically and infectionsmostly follow direct or indirect cont...

Rapid bacterial whole-genome sequencing to enhance diagnostic and public health microbiology.

IMPORTANCE The latest generation of benchtop DNA sequencing platforms can provide an accurate whole-genome sequence (WGS) for a broad range of bacteria in less than a day. These could be used to more effectively contain the spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens. OBJECTIVE To compare WGS with standard clinical microbiology practice for the investigation of nosocomial outbreaks caused by mult...

Expert opinion on whole genome sequencing for public health surveillance