Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

<jats:title>SUMMARY</jats:title><jats:p>Since April 2015, whole genome sequencing (WGS) has been the routine test for <jats:italic>Salmonella</jats:italic> identification, surveillance and outbreak investigation at the national reference laboratory in England and Wales. In May 2015, an outbreak of <jats:italic>Salmonella</jats:italic> Enteritidis cases was detected using WGS data and investigated. UK cases were interviewed to obtain a food history and links between suppliers were mapped to produce a food chain network for chicken eggs. The association between the food chain network and the phylogeny was explored using a network comparison approach. Food and environmental samples were taken from premises linked to cases and tested for <jats:italic>Salmonella</jats:italic>. Within the outbreak single nucleotide polymorphism defined cluster, 136 cases were identified in the UK and 18 in Spain. One isolate from a food containing chicken eggs was within the outbreak cluster. There was a significant association between the chicken egg food chain of UK cases and phylogeny of outbreak isolates. This is the first published <jats:italic>Salmonella</jats:italic> outbreak to be prospectively detected using WGS. This outbreak in the UK was linked with contemporaneous cases in Spain by WGS. We conclude that UK and Spanish cases were exposed to a common source of <jats:italic>Salmonella</jats:italic>-contaminated chicken eggs.</jats:p>

Original publication

DOI

10.1017/s0950268816001941

Type

Journal

Epidemiology and Infection

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Publication Date

01/2017

Volume

145

Pages

289 - 298