Understanding Rapid Identification of Multiple Salmonella Serovars in Food Samples

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PathoGenetix™, Inc., a commercial-stage developer of an automated system for rapid bacterial identification, will present new research today demonstrating the use of Genome Sequence Scanning™ (GSS™) technology to confirm and identify multiple serovars of Salmonella in enriched food samples in less than five hours. The data, included in a poster presentation at the 4th American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Conference on Salmonella in Boston, add to a growing body of research demonstrating the use of PathoGenetix’s proprietary genotyping technology to reliably identify pathogens of public health and food safety significance, including Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STECs).

The study evaluated the use of GSS in molecular serotyping and sub-typing of Salmonella, and as a tool for simultaneous detection of multiple serovars of Salmonella in complex mixtures.

Because Genome Sequence Scanning is culture independent, and fully automated from sample preparation to final report, the technology greatly reduces the time, complexity and skill required when compared to other molecular and next generation sequencing (NGS) identification approaches. The strain-type information provided by GSS is comparable to pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), the current standard for pathogen typing in foodborne outbreak investigation and response. As a result, GSS offers a powerful new tool for epidemiological investigations and outbreak monitoring that can enable quicker decisions affecting food safety and public health. The GSS technology will be commercially available in 2014 in the RESOLUTION™ Microbial Genotyping System.

According to the American Society of Microbiology, Salmonella infections continue to be a major public health problem in many parts of the world. In the U.S., Salmonella is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses leading to hospitalization and death. The Salmonella genus has more than 2,500 serotypes or serovars, based on the antigens that the organism presents on its surface. In the U.S., Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium are the most common serotypes, accounting for half of all Salmonella infections in people.