Considerations in centralizing whole genome sequencing for microbiology in a public health setting.

Author information

Abstract

Molecular epidemiology, epidemiology and public health microbiology are used in the UK and elsewhere for local, national and international outbreak management and control, surveillance and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance to identify disease threats at all geographical levels. The ideal features for an internationally used public health molecular tool include being reproducible, discriminatory and applicable to all strains examined. WGS fulfils all of these features and has already been used for epidemiological investigation and has the capability to transform public health microbiology. Is centralization of such a facility the most appropriate way forward for this revolution, or are there other more appropriate models for the successful implementation of this opportunity to change the way we carry out public health microbiology?

KEYWORDS:

WGS; centralization; molecular epidemiology; outbreak control; public health microbiology; surveillance; transmission investigation; whole genome sequencing