Salmonella enterica

Salmonella enterica is a nationally notifiable disease, resulting in an annual median of 36 outbreaks nationally and an incidence of infection rate of 185 infections per 100,000 population per year¹. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has already proved to be an effective tool in the surveillance and investigation of Salmonella enterica outbreaks, with the ability to definitively link infectious human cases together to a known source and allow public health control measures to be implemented as a result. A team of genomic epidemiologists, medical microbiologists, Australian Government committees, such as OzFoodNet, and food industry partners will be dedicated to this pathogen study for the duration of the research program.

¹ frontiersin.org
² health.gov.au

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Projects

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National snapshots of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Salmonella enterica

Aim: Conduct two national snapshots of AMR in Salmonella enterica

1. Assess AMR in a retrospective Salmonella enterica (NTS) dataset from 2018-2021
2. Assess AMR in two prospective Salmonella enterica (NTS) datasets (use Salmonella snapshot data)

National snapshot of Salmonella enterica

Aim: Conduct two national snapshots of all Salmonella enterica

1. Sequence and upload all notified Salmonella enterica from all jurisdictions to AusTrakka over a three month period in 2022 (and repeated in 2024).
2. Perform phylogeographical analysis of the dataset to assess the transmission pathways within serovars.
3. Measure the timeliness of cluster identification.

National genomic surveillance of Salmonella typhi to inform empirical treatment

Aim: Establish an ongoing national dataset of Salmonella typhi sequences providing insights into global dynamics of multi-drug resistant strains, which can be used to inform empirical treatment regimens

1. Sequence and upload all Salmonella typhi from all jurisdictions to AusTrakka prospectively.
2. Conduct ongoing monitoring of antimicrobial resistome in relation to travel history on a continuous basis to allow for early detection of changes in AMR patterns.

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