whole genome sequencing (wgs) for food safety management: a vision from uruguay

WHOLE GENOMIC SEQUENCING

A VISION FROM URUGUAY

Dra. Ana María Maquieiraamaqui@latu.org.uy

LATU –URUGUAY

• Surface: 175.016 km2

• Population: 3,286,314

URUGUAY - GENERAL INFORMATION

Economy is basedon Agriculturalproduction :

LATU - TECHNOLOGICAL LABORATORY OF URUGUAY

LATU - TECHNOLOGICAL LABORATORY OF URUGUAY

HOW DOES FOOD SAFETY MANAGMENTWORK IN URUGUAY?

FOOD SAFETY MANAGMENT -DIFFERENT ACTORS :

PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTERY (MSP)

EpidemiologySanitary police

MINISTERY OF LIVESTOCK,AGRICULTURE

AND FISH (MGAP)

INAC

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

(RG)

LATU

MSP LAB

School of Medicine (UDELAR) - Hygiene Institute

DILAVE(MGAP LAB)

Authorizedlaboratories

RG Food LAB

� Normas Nacionales: MSP, MGAP, INAC, Intendencias, LATU.

� Leyes :

� Ley Orgánica 9202 del 12/01/1934: MSP policía higiénica de los alimentos

� Ley 3606/13/04/1910 : MGAP Policía Sanitaria en Sanidad Animal

� Decretos:� Decreto 315/994 – Reglamento Bromatológico Nacional

� Decreto 338/82: LATU verificación conformidad de alimentos industrializados importados (menos pesca y piensos)

� Decreto 368/000: MGAP Autoridad Sanitaria Oficial de leche y productos lácteos

� Decreto 360/003; 576/009 y Resolución 11ª/2010: MGAP Plan Nac. De Residuos

Biológicos.

� Decreto 2/997; 20/998; 177/004 y 135/005: MGAP Condiciones de Higiene para

Tambos

� TRAZABILIDAD - Ley 17.997 (2006)

� Ordenanzas Municipales

Food Regulations - examples

National situation

Foodborne diseases

Distribution of the foodborne diseases outbreaks reported (1993-2014, Graciela Naviliat MSP - 2014)

N

Distribution of outbreaks of ETA by etiological agent (2014) Sepi 45(Graciela Naviliat MSP)

SWOT – FODAWGS

STRENGTHS� Small country:

• Our longest distance is 665 kms

• “We know each other” on food safety.

• Possibility of sharing resources.

� Knowledge:

• Training on this topic is actually developing (ex. Masters in Bioinformatics- Science University)

• Research groups working on sequencing (Instituto Pasteur and Clemente)

� Regulations:

• There is a national code on diseases and health reportable events

• Existence of an Integrated Health System.

Evento de Notificación Obligatoria

Notification must be performedwithin the first 24 h

( “A Group” of the Reportable

Mandatory Diseases Code, 2012)to the Surveillance Department of

the Ministry of Public Health.Tel: 2 409-12-00.

Fax: 2 408-58-38 o al e-mail:vigilanciaepi@msp.gub.uy

on line systemwww.msp.gub.uy

OPPORTUNITIES

• Knowledge of the sourranding flora’scharacteristics.

• Use of an advanced methodology.

• Possibility of deeper epidemiology studies .

• Improvements on chain production.

WEAKNESSES� Networks:

• Weakness in scientists institution´s networks

• Food Safety Authorities` networks needstrengthening.

� Knowledge:

• No shared information, food safety data not easilyavailable .

• Fragmented information, it´s generated only in especific areas, difficulty in traceabiliy.

• Therefore , information is poor at the moment of decision making (regulations, risk assessment ,etc.)

� Economic resources:

• Resources needed for equipment, training and supplies.

• Training of teams in data processing.

WEAKNESSES

� Epidemiology:

• Inmature epidemiology system in food area.

• Underreporting

• Poorly defined reportable diseases

� Methodology

• Need for further development on WGS for use in food testing (no need of strain isolation).

TREATHS• High cost.

• Need of training on the methodology

• Not all the authorities know about WGS methodology.

• Low undersatnding of the usefullness of WGS.

• “NASA” methodology – “A Ferrari in a stone street”

• Confidence in the use of databases.

• Fear of trade barriers.

THANK YOU/MUCHAS GRACIAS