The Salmonella spp. WGS results were presented at the XVII Baltic Congress of Laboratory Medicine. This data was produced as part of the HERA-2-Lithuania project, utilising advanced sequencing technology and resources to improve Salmonella outbreak detection and surveillance in Lithuania.
Results of the first pilot run of Salmonella spp. WGS in the Lithuanian Public Health Surveillance Laboratory
Salmonella bacteria are one of the main causes of food and waterborne diseases (FWD) in Lithuania. While phenotypic serotyping has traditionally been used in suspected Salmonella outbreaks, the adoption of next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows for more accurate identification of bacterial strains and the detection of cross-border transmission. The aim of this research was to investigate potential outbreaks in different geographic locations and time periods using sequencing data. Following the implementation of NGS, an outbreak was confirmed across multiple regions, which had previously only been suspected through serotyping. Here, we report the detection of Salmonella choleraesuis, a rare and severe serovar in Europe, linked to the ongoing outbreak. The data generated can be shared on the EpiPulse platform to support cross-border surveillance efforts.
Griskevicius A, Razmuk J, Sinotova J, Greicius P, Tamoliunaite G.