|  PulseNet
is a national network of public health and food regulatory
agency laboratories coordinated by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The network
consists of: state health departments, local health
departments, and federal agencies (CDC, USDA/FSIS,
FDA).
PulseNet participants perform standardized molecular
subtyping (or “fingerprinting”) of foodborne
disease-causing bacteria by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis
(PFGE). PFGE can be used to distinguish strains of
organisms such as Escherichia coli O157:H7,
Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria,
or Campylobacter at the DNA level. DNA “fingerprints,”
or patterns, are submitted electronically to a dynamic
database at the CDC. These databases are available
on-demand to participants—this allows for rapid
comparison of the patterns. |
