NARMS Cooperative Agreement Program to Strengthen Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance in Retail Food Specimens

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SC DHEC PHL-NARMS Abstract The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC-DHEC) , Public Health Laboratory (PHL), serves as the state public health Laboratory, working towards improving the quality of life for South Carolinians by protecting and promoting the health of the public and the environment. The purpose of this project is to increase surveillance for antibiotic resistance in enteric bacteria from retail meat and seafood samples. The PHL Food Microbiology Laboratory has maintained the capacity to test for foodborne pathogens and food quality indicator organisms for over 40 years. During this cooperative agreement, the Food Microbiology Laboratory will maintain laboratory capacity by continuing to implement NARMS retail meat and seafood surveillance protocols. Bacteria isolated from retail meat and seafood samples will be characterized where appropriate by serology and by whole genome sequencing (WGS). Results will be shared with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and DHEC Foodborne Epidemiologists. Data will be used to drive identification of foodborne disease outbreaks. Isolates identified will submitted to FDA-CVM for antibiotic sensitivities. Antibiotic resistance data collected, as a result of the surveillance activities, will be analyzed and monitored for trends. Data will be disseminated to state epidemiologist’s, and when appropriate, State Sentinel Hospitals, and shared with the public through DHEC’s public website. These activities will strengthen national efforts to monitor antimicrobial resistance among enteric bacteria isolated from retail meats and seafood and provide data to drive public health policy and program development.