title: Integration of whole-genome sequencing into infection control practices: the potential and the hurdles.
abstract: Microbial whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is poised to transform many of the currently used approaches in medical microbiology. Recent reports on the application of WGS to understand genetic evolution and reconstruct transmission pathways have provided valuable information that will influence infection control practices. While this technology holds great promise, obstacles to full implementation remain. Two articles in this issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology (S. Octavia, Q. Wang, M. M. Tanaka, S. Kaur, V. Sintchenko, and R. Lan, J Clin Microbiol 53:1063-1071, 2015, doi:10.1128/JCM.03235-14, and S. J. Salipante, D. J. SenGupta, L. A. Cummings, T. A. Land, D. R. Hoogestraat, and B. T. Cookson, J Clin Microbiol 53:1072-1079, 2015, doi:10.1128/JCM.03385-14) describe the breadth of application of WGS to the field of clinical epidemiology.
authors: Infection Control Program and Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA robilote@mskcc.org kambojM@mskcc.org.
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Robilotti
authors: Infection Control Program and Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA robilote@mskcc.org kambojM@mskcc.org.
authors: Mini
authors: M
authors: Kamboj
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology / Q000379:methods*; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods*; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*