From: Choosing an appropriate bacterial typing technique for epidemiologic studies
Purpose | Example Research Goal | Discriminatory Power Needed | Need to infer genetic relationships and/or population structure |
---|---|---|---|
Confirm epidemiologic linkage | a. Determine if epidemiologically related cases share the identical organism. Result: either support or refute epidemiologic data. | Low | Low |
Generate hypotheses about epidemiologic relationships between bacterial strains in the absence of epidemiologic data | a. Determine if time-space clustering surveillance isolates have identical or related genetic types. Result: trigger further epidemiologic investigation of related isolates. b. Determine if outbreak is propagated. Result: trigger investigation into how is spread and/or control actions to stop spread. c. Relate clinical outcomes to strain types or to the presence of transferable genetic material, e.g., antimicrobial resistance on a plasmid. Result: improve patient care. | Moderate to High | Moderate |
Describe distribution of bacterial types and identify the determinants of that distribution | a. Test the hypothesis of clonal spread versus independent origin of a particular strain over disparate geographic areas. Result: Better predict emergence and spread of disease. b. Determine flow of infection from one group to another. Result: Public health intervention c. Identification of pathogenic factors. Result: Develop new interventions or therapies specific to those factors | Moderate to High | High |