SCAN: The use of molecular typing to optimize epidemiology studies

SCAN Seminar

Title: The use of molecular typing to optimize epidemiology studies

Speaker: Nuno Faria, Molecular Genetics Laboratory

Abstract

Molecular typing strategies are important tools for epidemiological investigations of Staphylococcus aureus carriage and disease. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is still the method of choice in many laboratories due to extensive expertise and large body of data accumulated. PFGE is the gold standard for benchmarking the performance of new typing methods. However more and more sequenced-based methods, such as multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa typing, are being used since they offer increased interlaboratory reproducibility, portability, and speed in obtaining results. Previously, comparisons between typing methods were based on a qualitative assessment of the overall agreement of results. Recently, we have established a quantitative assessment for the congruence between the major typing methods for S. aureus. No single S. aureus typing method alone is capable of providing the discriminatory power needed for public health intervention, and the combination of two or more complementary methods continues to be the best choice. Nevertheless, the findings allow improvement in the cost-effectiveness for S. aureus infection management and control by assisting on the design of the typing strategy. We will discuss the application of these findings in two epidemiological distinct collections of S. aureus strains.

Short CV
1996-2002: Degree on Microbiology and Genetics Biology at Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa.
November 2002 to November 2004: Research student at the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, ITQB, under the supervision of Professor Hermínia de Lencastre and Duarte Oliveira, PhD.
Since November 2004: PhD student at Molecular Genetics Laboratory, ITQB, under the supervision of Professor Hermínia de Lencastre, and Duarte Oliveira, PhD.