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October 15, 1999 PulseNet, a component of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) foodborne
illness detection system, yesterday was named one of 10 winners of the Innovations in American
Government Awards sponsored by the Ford Foundation. The program will receive a $100,000 award
and recognition as one of the nation's best examples of government performance.
The CDC developed the PulseNet program to help investigate and prevent outbreaks of
foodborne illness by sharing information about the problem bacteria quickly. PulseNet
laboratories detect outbreaks by using a technique called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis
(PFGE) to "fingerprint" bacteria through their DNA. "Fingerprinting" the
DNA of bacteria allows labs to match disease-causing strains.
PulseNet has standardized the way labs type bacteria, and has taken the process a step
further by digitizing the information so that it can be shared electronically, similar to a
bar code. In the past, labs had to trade physical specimens to compare the disease-causing
bacteria, a process that took several days. Now scientists can access CDC's library of DNA
"fingerprints," to find bacteria matches within minutes.
"CDC is honored to receive this prestigious award and we are proud of our staff who
developed PulseNet. We also wish to recognize the United States Department of Agriculture, the
Food and Drug Administration, and all the state health departments that participate in
PulseNet. Without their collaboration, this vital system, which helps to ensure a safer food
supply for our country, would not be possible," said CDC Director Dr. Jeffrey Koplan.
Today, PulseNet helps to detect foodborne disease outbreaks faster than ever before. Here
are some ways PulseNet has helped identify foodborne bacteria in the nation's food supply.
The Innovations in Government Awards competition is rigorous. Beginning each January,
approximately 1,500 program applications are reviewed by Harvard University's John F. Kennedy
School of Government, which administers the Innovations program. Each program application is
evaluated according to four selection criteria: they must be novel, be effective, solve a
significant problem, and be replicable by other government entities. In May, 100
semi-finalists are selected from this pool of applicants, and in September 25 finalists are
named. Each finalist receives a $20,000 grant from the Ford Foundation.
For more information on PulseNet go to http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/pulsenet/pulsenet.htm
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