Molecular Epidemiology - Critical Applications in Public Health and Clinical Laboratories

Explore the critical applications of molecular epidemiology in public health and clinical laboratories through this 58-minute webinar featuring CDC experts Drs. Heather Carleton, Nancy Chow, and Duncan MacCannell. Delve into the impact of emerging technologies like pathogen genomics and metagenomics on traditional molecular epidemiology practices. Learn about the evolution of molecular typing techniques, from Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis to Whole Genome Sequencing, and their role in foodborne illness surveillance and outbreak investigations. Examine case studies on recurring epidemic patterns (REPs) and the urgent antimicrobial resistance threat posed by Candida auris. Gain insights into the Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence and the Molecular Epidemiology Fellowship program. Discover how these advanced molecular approaches are revolutionizing disease tracking, outbreak control, and public health interventions.

Intro
A brief history of molecular typing techniques.
Characteristics of molecular typing methods.
Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE)
PHL NGS Capacity in the United States (2013-2018)
Foodborne illness: From Patient to Public Health Surveillance
Transition to Use of Whole Genome Sequencing in PulseNet
Using WGS to Link Clinical Cases with Outbreak Source
Potential Importance of REPs in Reducing Disease Incidence . Most illnesses reported through PulseNet are not linked to a source - 10% of isolates are part of an outbreak
Investigating REP Strains • Repeated/ongoing identification of the same strain suggests that there is an upstream contributor or reservoir - Traditional outbreak control measures, like product recalls, may fail to address the underlying contributors to the problem • Additional investigational approaches are needed for REPs beyond what is used in typical outbreak investigations
CgMLST Minimum Spanning Tree of REPEXHO2 Strain by Outbreak (n=398 Human and Environmental Isolates)
Candida auris: Urgent AR Threat
Distinct C. auris strains (clades)
Separate introductions in NY and NJ, 2017
Transmission of pan-resistant and echinocandin-resistant C. auris, Texas and District of Columbia, 2021
Texas and DC clusters
Genomic data supports simultaneous and independent emergence of TX and DC clusters
Texas ech-r and pan-r strains cluster separately from ech-susceptible strains
Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence
Molecular Epidemiology Fellowship (MEF)