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Molecular Detection and Biotraceability of Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum
In cases of a possible deliberate or accidental contamination of the food or feed chain swift action is desirable in order to minimise its possible effects. Quick screening tools are necessary in such a situation in order to determine whether response has to be scaled up or can be scaled down. DNA based detection methods are perfect candidates to be used as screening tools due to their intrinsic sensitivity, specificity and selectivity.
Overview
Newly developed molecular detection tools for Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum will be presented as well as some examples of their implementation in laboratory response networks. The restrictions generated by the high-containment facilities, in which work for the laboratory response networks is performed, will be explained.
Outline
The workshop will be centred on screening technologies based on DNA detection for the spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum. It will consist of five interactive lectures including an introduction on biosecurity, biosafety and biopreparedness and the general and specific principles of the technology will be explained. Also some applications of the technology will be demonstrated.
The presenters are all working in the field of bio-preparedness and are experts in making state of the art molecular technology applicable for screening purposes. The workshop will outline current activities among policy makers, researchers and stakeholders. The following topics will be considered from a biotraceability perspective; biopreparedness, food security, biosafety, biosecurity, genomics of Bacillus and Clostrida, biomarker discovery, novel tracing and tracking tools.
Molecular tracing tools for the spore-forming "select agents" Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum
1. Bio-preparedness and Food Security (Rickard Knutsson and/or Bart van Rotterdam)
2. Biosafety and Biosecurity (Rickard Knutsson and/or Bart van Rotterdam)
3. Genomics of Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum and biomarker discovery (Bo Segerman and Patrick Fach)
4. Model Systems (Martina Fricker and/or Monica Ehling-Schulz)
5. Tracing Tools for Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum (Patrick Fach and Peter Wielinga)
Molecular detection and biotraceability of Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum
The workshop will focus on the development and testing of real time PCR-based methods for detection of the spore-forming bacteria Clostridium botulinum and Bacillus anthracis, both agents of bioterroristic interest. The tests do not only detect the organisms DNA on the species level but can also be used for coarse typing. In the case of B. anthracis, the absence or presence of the virulence plasmids is also addressed, resulting in for example the possibility to discriminate between vaccine strains and fully virulent strains or non virulent other bacillus strains. For C. botulinum, the test can discriminate between the different toxino-types. During the coming period, tests will be validated. The tests are applicable both in tracking and tracing studies. Examples will be shown in which the developed technology is used in real life.
Furthermore the work on tracking and tracing of select agents will be discussed in view of the response networks for bioterroristic events as they are present in the Netherlands and Sweden. Biosecurity and biosafety are important factors that have to be taken into consideration when working on this topic and will therefore also be addressed. Attention will also be given to the vision of the EC on how to bridge security and health and how this influences the research agenda and what changes it creates.
Pre-workshop Required Reading*
A Code of Conduct for Biosecurity / The Netherlands
Laboratory Biosecurity Guidance 2006 WHO
Green paper on Bio-preparedness EC
Bacillus cereus group genomics
Clostridium botulinum genomics
Paper by P. Fach on Clostrdium PCR 2009
*Required for PhD students.
Post-workshop Reading Material
Anthrax in humans and animals review 2008 WHO
Guide for the Selection of Biological Agent Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders USA 2007
Report of the CBRN Task Force 2009 EC
Bridging Security and Health 2009 EC