CPHLN supports the following Issue groups:
CPHLN also support the following task groups:
PulseNet Canada
PulseNet is a Task Group of the Water and Food-Borne Enterics Issue Group
Head: Celine Nadon (PHAC/NML)
Background
PulseNet Canada, created in 2000, is a virtual network which ties all provincial and two federal laboratories (the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses and Health Canada’s Bureau of Microbial Hazards) together by linking their computers and databases.
This national network is dedicated to tracking the DNA fingerprints of all cases of E. coli and most cases of salmonella. The network is coordinated by the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory (NML). The PulseNet Canada team at NML houses and manages the national databases.
Mission
The purpose of PulseNet Canada is to:
- Detect clusters of cases with matching DNA “fingerprints”.
- Facilitate early identification and investigation of foodborne disease outbreaks
- Assist in epidemiological investigations to differentiate outbreak from sporadic cases and the identify the source of outbreaks
- Provide a rapid communications platform and link public health laboratories across the nation
