Molecular typing of bacteria for epidemiological surveillance and outbreak investigation / Molekulare Typisierung von Bakterien für die epidemiologische Überwachung und Ausbruchsabklärung

Abstract

Constant confrontations with microbial threats pose major challenges to human and animal health, agricultural and food production, and public safety. Identifying pathogenic bacteria (species) and tracking strains (by series of well-characterized isolates) to their sources are especially important in outbreak investigations. Compared to the identification of the species, the identification of the source and spread of microbial infections represents a major—and many times futile—challenge. This is due to the multitude of ways microorganisms can occur and spread within healthcare facilities and in the community; how, when, and where they can contaminate the complex nutrition chain, leading to natural and man-made outbreaks.

Keywords

• typing
• genetic fingerprint
• molecular epidemiology
• public health
• molekulare epidemiologie
• typisierung
• genetischer fingerabdruck
• ausbruchsaufklärung
• öffentliche gesundheit