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• PulseNet is a national network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Home | CDC PulseNet

PulseNet

PulseNet is a national network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The network consists of: state health departments, local health departments, and federal agencies (CDC, USDA/FSIS, FDA). PulseNet participants perform standardized molecular subtyping (or “fingerprinting”) of foodborne disease-causing bacteria by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE can be used to distinguish strains of organisms such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria, or Campylobacter at the DNA level. DNA “fingerprints,” or patterns, are submitted electronically to a dynamic database at the CDC. These databases are available on-demand to participants—this allows for rapid comparison of the patterns.

CDC Feature: PulseNet & Foodborne Disease Outbreak Detection Since 1996, PulseNet has connected foodborne illness cases together, using DNA "fingerprinting" of the bacteria making people sick, to detect and define outbreaks… More CDC Works For You 24/7: PulseNet at Work: Detecting Hazardous Hazelnuts They're usually in bowls of mixed nuts that are a holiday staple. But for 8 people who lived in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, the 2010 holidays weren't so merry… More Emerging Infectious Diseases: Nonculture Diagnostic Tests for Enteric Diseases Volume 18, Number 3—March 2012, Timothy F. Jones (Tennessee Department of Health) and Peter Gerner-Smidt (CDC) More

Detect foodborne disease case clusters by PFGE Allow for real-time communication among state, local health departments, and international partners Facilitate early identification of common source outbreaks Help food regulatory agencies identify areas where implementation of new measures are likely to increase the safety of our food supply

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