Current Event Assignment

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Full-genome sequencing helped solve the mystery of the spreading of Klebsiella pneumoniae within the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health, a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. A woman was admitted to the hospital carrying the bacteria which eventually spread to 12 patients, killing 6 of them. Physicians studied the bacteria’s genome and by fully sequencing the genomes of patients' bacteria and finding minute mutational differences, researchers traced microbial movements with unprecedented precision. Although not totally clear on how Klebsiella pneumonia was transmitted they believe it spread through medical equipment. Genomic epidemiology could make it easier for hospitals to deal with similar outbreaks in the future. The cost is about $500 per gene sequence.

Questions for the class:

Klebsiella pneumonia is antibiotic resistant so it was important to discover how it was spreading through the hospital. What other diseases are there that we would want to know how they are transmitted?

Interpreting these gene sequences takes time, money and requires specialized equipment and personnel. How important is it for all hospitals to have this capability?

Do you think gene sequencing could be used in any other application?

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/08/genomic-csi-helps-contain-a-kill.html