Phylogenetic structure of European Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak correlates with national and international egg distribution network
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis have long been associated with contaminated poultry and eggs. In the summer of 2014 a large multi-national outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 14b occurred with over 350 cases reported in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, France and Luxembourg. Egg supply network investigation and microbiological sampling identified the source to be a Bavarian egg producer. As part of the international investigation into the outbreak, over 400 isolates were sequenced including isolates from cases, implicated UK premises and eggs from the suspected source producer. We were able to show a clear statistical correlation between the topology of the UK egg distribution network and the phylogenetic network of outbreak isolates. This correlation can most plausibly be explained by different parts of the egg distribution network being supplied by eggs solely from independent premises of the Bavarian egg producer (Company X). Microbiological sampling from the source premises, traceback information and information on the interventions carried out at the egg production premises all supported this conclusion. The level of insight into the outbreak epidemiology provided by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) would not have been possible using traditional microbial typing methods.
Date Issued
2016-08-25
Date Acceptance
2016-05-26
Citation
Microbial Genomics, 2016, 2 (8), pp.e000070-e000070
ISSN
2057-5858
Publisher
Microbiology Society: Microbial Genomics
Start Page
e000070
End Page
e000070
Journal / Book Title
Microbial Genomics
Volume
2
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
© 2016 The Authors. Published by Microbiology Society. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Identifier
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28348865
PII: mgen000070
Subjects
Salmonella
foodborne outbreak
traceback investigation
whole-genome sequencing
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England