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CDC expands disease identification tool MicrobeNet
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The CDC has added a new aspect to its disease identification tool MicrobeNet. Users now can search protein signatures of bacteria and compare them with what is already known, cutting testing time to hours.
“This system helps public health labs and hospitals quickly identify some of the most difficult pathogens to grow and detect,” John R. McQuiston, PhD, team lead for the CDC’s Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory and CDC’s lead for MicrobeNet, said in a press release. “In turn, MicrobeNet will help treat patients faster and allow health departments to respond to public health emergencies more effectively.”
John R. McQuiston
Before MicrobeNet, if a clinician wanted to identify rare bacteria, they would send a sample to the CDC and wait for test results, which would take about 1 week, the release said.
In 2013, the CDC developed the free-to-use MicrobeNet, which grants public health laboratories immediate access to the CDC’s virtual microbe library that contains more than 2,400 infectious bacteria and fungi. Before this update, the user could only search for new pathogens through DNA sequencing or biochemical tests. Now, in partnership with the MALDI Biotyper systems (Bruker Corp.), the CDC added the new module that allows users to search protein signatures of bacteria and compare them with the library. For laboratories already using the Bruker system, this module will be immediately accessible.
Currently, MicrobeNet allows users to communicate with CDC staff and grants state public health officials the ability to monitor disease trends. It also provides antibiotic resistance information and helps the CDC send information about multistate outbreaks to public health officials in the affected states.
“MicrobeNet has the potential to revolutionize public health,” McQuiston said.
Disclosures: McQuiston reports no relevant financial disclosures.