Part 1 - PulseNet International

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE: DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A
PULSENET LABORATORY
CODE: PNG05
Effective Date:
3 10 08
4.5.1 Real-time surveillance should be the goal of all PulseNet laboratories and should involve real-time
subtyping of PulseNet tracked organisms that are received by the laboratory.
4.5.2 CDC does not require subtype information of isolates generated by PFGE or another PulseNet subtyping
method, with the same serotype and same PFGE pattern, from the same patient, collected within 6
months of each other to be uploaded to the PulseNet National Databases unless the subtypes of the
isolates are different.
4.5.2.1 If a duplicate isolate (one from the same patient, with the same serotype and PFGE pattern within 6
months) is run by PFGE, please use the best representation of the pattern produced to submit to the
national database.
4.6 PulseNet laboratories will agree to store isolates that have been subtyped by PFGE for as long as space will
allow and for a minimum of 1 year. These isolates will be submitted to CDC when requested for isolate
collections or epidemiologic investigations.
4.7 PulseNet laboratories must work with their epidemiology department on a routine basis for the investigation of
clusters and outbreaks.
4.8 PulseNet staff must sign and submit the “PulseNet CDC Team Nondisclosure Agreement” to receive access to
the PulseNet workspace on CDC Team (see SOP PND03).
4.9 PulseNet laboratories must post information to the PulseNet Workspace on CDC Team on foodborne disease
clusters and outbreaks occurring in their state in a timely manner and must respond to postings within 48
hours.
4.10 PulseNet laboratories must send at least one representative to the Annual PulseNet Update Meeting.
4.11 PulseNet laboratories are expected to notify APHL, their Area Laboratory, and CDC when new laboratory
staff begins performing PulseNet-related duties and/or when existing laboratory staff will no longer be
performing PulseNet-related duties (see SOP PNG02).
4.12 PulseNet laboratories are expected to write articles for the PulseNet News newsletter when requested by
APHL and/or CDC.
4.13 PulseNet Laboratories will participate in national and regional conference calls organized by APHL, their Area
Laboratory, or CDC.
5. PROCEDURES:
5.1 Labs that are interested in becoming a PulseNet participant must contact the PulseNet Program Manager at
APHL and the PulseNet Database Team at CDC (see SOP PNG08 for information on becoming a PulseNet
Laboratory).
5.2 Prior to being considered a PulseNet laboratory, the laboratory must acquire the necessary equipment, reagents
and supplies, communication tools, and software (PNL01, PNL02, PND01).
5.3 PulseNet participating laboratories must complete a PulseNet-sponsored training (PNL17, PND10), subscribe
to the PulseNet Workspace on CDC Team (PND03), and request the Salmonella ser. Braenderup H9812
standard strain, the latest version of the PulseNet MasterScripts for the PulseNet customized version of
BioNumerics from the PulseNet Database Team, and a copy of the PulseNet QA/QC Manual. All laboratories
are expected to maintain knowledge of the current laboratory methods and software configurations utilized by
the network.
5.4 PulseNet laboratories must perform PFGE digested with two enzymes on all E. coli and Listeria
monocytogenes isolates immediately after receipt in their laboratory.
5.5 When PulseNet participating labs submit data to the National Database(s) (either directly or to the PulseNet
Database Team), as much information as possible should be included. At a minimum, the required information
includes (using pick lists whenever applicable):
5.5.1 City and/or County (if known)
5.5.2 State
5.5.3 Species/Serotype (even if this is undetermined, pending, untypable)
5.5.4 Source Type (even if unknown)
5.5.5 Source Site (even if unknown)
5.5.6 Other State Isolate Number (when applicable)
5.5.7 Isolation Date
VERSION: REPLACED BY: AUTHORIZED BY:
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