Global%20Foodborne%20Infections%20Network%20(GFN)%20%20Building%20capacity%20to%20detect,%20control%20and%20prevent%20foodborne%20and%20other%20enteric%20infections%20from%20farm%20to%20table

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Global Foodborne Infections Network (GFN)
Building capacity to detect, control and
prevent foodborne and other enteric infections
from farm to table

• Nirali Desai, MPH

• National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic
  Infectious Diseases

• Division Of Foodborne, Waterborne, and
  Environmental Diseases

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GFN Vision and Mission

• Vision
• A world where all countries prevent and control
  foodborne and other enteric infections
• Mission
• To enable countries to detect, control, and
  prevent foodborne and other enteric infections
  by
• Building capacity for integrated surveillance
• Fostering collaboration among human health,
  veterinary, food and other relevant sectors.

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What is GFN?

• A network of professionals and institutions
  working in veterinary, food and public health
  disciplines committed to enhancing capacity of
  countries to conduct integrated surveillance of
  foodborne and other enteric infections

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GFN Main Activities

• International and Regional training courses
• External Quality Assurance System (EQAS)
• Country Data Bank (CDB)
• Focused regional and national projects
• Reference services
• CDC-specific technical expertise

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International Training Courses

• Progressive training cycle
• Microbiologists and Epidemiologists (Human,
  Veterinary, and Food Disciplines)
• National and International formats
• Courses run between 4-7 days
• Bench training and table top exercises

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International Training Courses

• Microbiology Bench Training
• Global/Region-specific pathogens (e.g.,
  Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, V. cholerae,
  S. Typhie, Brucella, Shigella, Listeria, C.
  botulinum)
• Quality assurance
• Biosafety
• Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing
• Advanced methods

• Epidemiology Training
• Outbreak detection and response
• Evaluation of surveillance systems
• Study design
• Source attribution
• Burden of disease
• Data management

• Joint Epidemiology and Laboratory
• Integrated surveillance
• Risk assessment
• Country Plans of Action
• Advocacy and communication
• Information sharing networks
• Project proposal writing

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Cumulative Number of Participants Trained
(2000-2013)
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After training focus on project and program
follow up

• Focused Regional/National Projects
• Burden of Illness Studies (e.g. Jordan, Slovenia,
  the Caribbean)
• Enhanced Surveillance Studies (e.g. China, Fiji,
  Philippines, Kazakhstan)
• Reference Services
• Verification of laboratory findings
• Assist with technical questions
• Participation in regional projects
• CDC-specific technical expertise
• In 2012-2013, CDC GFN led and provided ongoing
  SME support and training to institutions in
• Port-au-Prince, Haiti
• Delhi, India
• Almaty, Kazakhstan
• Johannesburg, SA
• CAREC
• Brasilia, Brazil

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External Quality Assurance System (EQAS)

• Aims
• To have laboratories evaluate their performance
  of serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility
  testing (AST)
• To improve quality of surveillance data
• To assess the quality of Salmonella serotyping
  and AST in laboratories worldwide
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the training
  courses
• To identify barriers for serotyping and AST

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External Quality Assurance System (EQAS)

• Proficiency test
• 8 anonymous strains of Salmonella and Shigella
• 4 Campylobacter isolates
• 1 blank sample
• Supplier of reference strain
• Results
• Submitted through secure website
• Instant individual evaluation reports
• Yearly cumulative evaluation reports posted
  online
• In 2012, 192 labs in 93 countries participated
  with a decline in correct tests in both
  Salmonella serotyping and AST

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GFN Country Databank

• GFN member institutions asked to provide access
  to information about top 15 Salmonella serotypes
  from both human and non-human sources
• As of 2013, over 2 million isolates and 359
  different serotypes reported
• Over 1 million S. Enteritidis
• 400,000 S. Typhimurium

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Global Impact of DFWED Activities
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Thank you