Molecular Epidemiology (Part 1) - Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology

Addressing a disease outbreak requires identification of the source of the offending pathogen. While classical epidemiological approaches are undeniably invaluable for describing the distribution of an infectious agent, molecular tools provide the genetic evidence necessary to link cases of infection. The importance of identifying the source of a pathogen were perhaps most famously demonstrated by Dr. John Snow (the father of epidemiology), during the 1854 Soho Cholera outbreak in London; by removing the handle of the Broad Street Pump, he limited access of the public to contaminated water and halted the outbreak. In this lecture I'll start with an outbreak case study before providing a brief description of some of the specific molecular epidemiological techniques currently used by microbiologists and public health specialists. The notes associated with this lecture have been deposited here: https://harvest.usask.ca/items/61876b... Credits Music: Schumann, R. Aufschwung, Op. 12 No. 2 by Robert Schumann. (August 12, 2023). [Recorded by M.C. Gaunt] Used with permission of the performer.