Integrating Advanced Molecular Technologies into Public Health

Abstract

Advances in laboratory and information technologies are transforming public health microbiology. High-throughput genome sequencing and bioinformatics are enhancing our ability to investigate and control outbreaks, detect emerging infectious diseases, develop vaccines, and combat antimicrobial resistance, all with increased accuracy, timeliness, and efficiency. The Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) initiative has allowed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide leadership and coordination in integrating new technologies into routine practice throughout the U.S. public health laboratory system. Collaboration and partnerships are the key to navigating this transition and to leveraging the next generation of methods and tools most effectively for public health.

Keywords: bioinformatics; communicable diseases; laboratory science; microbiology; molecular; molecular epidemiology; public health; sequencing.

FIG 1

Listeriosis clusters detected and outbreaks solved before and after implementation of real-time whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from patients, food, and the environment, United States, September 2012 to August 2015. *, Cluster detection sooner or only by WGS, compared with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Based on figure published in reference 5).

FIG 2

Schematic of inferred relationships among cases of HIV infection based on epidemiologic information, genetic information, or both. Each circle represents one case, with circle size proportional to the number of epidemiologic or genetic connections.