Importance of Global Genomic Data Sharing to Prevent Illnesses Linked to Commercially Distributed Foods

Changes in food production and distribution, including global distribution of foods, have affected the types of foodborne disease outbreaks that occur. As a result, outbreaks are frequently identified that cause illnesses affecting people across wide geographic regions. Pathogen subtyping is the most effective way to detect these outbreaks, by grouping together cases of foodborne illness that likely share a common source. Over the last decade, the use of whole genome sequencing-based subtyping methods for foodborne bacteria has rapidly expanded. These methods not only provide a much higher resolution view of the bacterial genome, but also open the door to improved sharing of genomic data internationally. We describe four recent outbreak investigations linked to globally distributed foods and other products in which international genomic data sharing played a key role in the investigation: a listeriosis outbreak linked to enoki mushrooms and three different salmonellosis outbreaks linked to onions, sesame paste, and small turtles. Although there are technical and cost barriers to expanding the use of whole genome sequencing and other high-resolution subtyping methods, advancements and accessibility in using these technologies are creating novel opportunities for widespread global implementation so that international collaborations can detect, investigate, and stop outbreaks and reduce the impact of foodborne illnesses globally.