InFORM 2013 Conference

The InFORM 2013 Conference, a combined meeting of PulseNet, OutbreakNet and EHS-Net, was held in San Antonio, Texas, November 18-21, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio hotel. The meeting drew over 400 laboratorians, epidemiologists and environmental health professionals from the United States and 8 other countries. Participants represented federal, state and local public health, food and environmental regulatory agencies.

Slide Presentations

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Monday, November 18, 2013

Welcome Session
Moderator: Scott Becker, Association of Public Health Laboratories

Welcome to San Antonio: Dr. David Lakey, Texas Department of State Health Services Keynote Address: Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Welcome to InFORM 2013 Conference: Christopher Braden, CDC and Alfred V. Almanza, USDA FSIS

Session I: Food Science
Moderators: Lavin Joseph, Susan Lance, Brian Sauders

• Nestle Cookie Dough Outbreak, Lessons Learned: Tim Jackson, Nestle USA
• The Recall Procedure from a Distributor’s Perspective: Peggy Smith, Cowgirl Creamery
• Food Adulteration: George Hughes, FBI/FDA
• Pasteurization of Tree Nuts: Linda Harris, UC Davis

Session II: Foul Fruits: Agona-izing over Contaminated Papayas
Moderators: Deb Sheehan, Chris Carlson, Laura Gieraltowski, Ian Williams, Jonathan Yoder

• Karen Neil, CDC
• Susan Lance, FDA
• Julie Loera, TX

Session III: Frozen E. coli snack: How did we find out about the added ingredient?
Moderators: Kristin Holt, Lauren Yeung, David Nicholas

• CDC Perspective (Epi): Stacey Bosch, CDC
• NY State Perspective (Epi): David Nicholas, NY
• NYS Lab Perspective (Sample collection and analysis; Results reporting and subsequent interaction/ collaboration with FSIS): Dianna Schoonmaker-Bopp, NY
• FSIS Perspective (Sample collection and analysis; Chain of custody considerations): Kurt Wolter, USDA FSIS
• CDC Perspective (Food safety concerns associated with frozen foods that are often cooked in a microwave oven): Rob Tauxe, CDC
• Q&A (Speaker Panel)

Session IV: Beyond Food: Enteric Zoonoses and One Health
Moderators: Casey Barton Behravesh, Kirk Smith, Beth Tolar, Carol Selman

• Detecting and Investigating Outbreaks due to Commercially Distributed Animals: an Overview: Kirk Smith, MN
• The Trouble with Turtles: public health and regulatory challenges with recent multistate outbreaks: Stacey Bosch, CDC
• Backyard Flocks and Salmonellosis: A Growing Public Health Concern: Casey Barton Behravesh, CDC
• Increase in Outbreaks Associated with Unpasteurized Milk in the United States: Hannah Gould, CDC
• Raw milk and public health in Pennsylvania: Carol Sandt, PA
• Panel discussion: Casey Barton Behravesh, Kirk Smith, Beth Tolar, Carol Selman, Susan Lance, Vic Boddie, Stacey Bosch, Hannah Gould, Carol Sandt

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Sunrise Session Roundtables

Salmonella Serotyping
Moderators: Sung Im, Amy Bryant

CIFOR: Lab-Epi Software
Moderator: Kristy Kubota

BioNumerics for Super Users
Moderators: Pam Bywaters, Brian Sauders

Information Sharing Agreements
Moderator: Gary Norris

Concurrent Sessions

Water: Implications of Boil-water advisories for Food Service and Healthcare Settings
Moderators: Jonathan Yoder, Vince Radke

• Epi Perspective: Jonathan Yoder, CDC
• EH Perspective: Vince Radke, Carol Selman, CDC

Traceback and Chain of Custody
Moderators: David Nicholas, Kristin Holt, Lauren Yeung

Salmonella in Cucumbers: Where did it come from and how did we trace them back?

• CDC Perspective (Epi): Jeshua Pringle, CDC
• MN State Perspective (Outbreak response and traceback investigation): Carrie Rigdon, MN Ag
• FDA Perspective (Outbreak response and traceback investigation): LCDR Carla Tuite, FDA
• Q&A (Speaker Panel)

Traceback and Chain of Custody Resource Materials

• FDA Perspective: Overview of Traceback Resource Materials: LCDR Carla Tuite, FDA
• FSIS Perspective: Overview of Chain of Custody Resource Materials: Kurt Wolter, USDA FSIS

Outbreak Dissection
Moderators: Carlota Medus, Roshan Reporter, Stacey Bosch, Ian Williams, Jamie DeMent, Matthew Wise

Hepatitis A in a berry blend containing pomegranate seeds

• Epi perspective: Alicia Cronquist, CO and Meg Adams-Cameron, NM
• CDC perspective: Melissa Collier, CDC
• FDA traceback: Jennifer Beal, FDA

Salmonella Braenderup and Worthington outbreak associated with Mangoes

• LA County, CA: Roshan Reporter, LAC
• FDA/CORE: Katie Vierk, FDA
• BC Centre for Disease Control, Canada: Marsha Taylor, BCCDC

CIFOR
Moderators: Don Sharp, Ernie Julian

• Introduction, Overview and update on the Law Project and others: Don Sharp, CDC
• CIFOR Guidelines Update (including the metrics updates/target ranges): Don Sharp, CDC
• CIFOR Industry Guidelines: Ernie Julian, RI

Norovirus Outbreaks: A Collaborative Approach
Moderators: Leslie Barclay, Julia Wolfe, Michelle Samara-Timm

• Surviving Norovirus Investigations: A Puking Primer: Amy Woron, TN, Traci DeSalvo, WI and Brian Collins, TX

Next Generation Sequencing and New Technologies
Moderators: Molly Freeman, Neelam Narang, Ashley Sabol, Larry Ramdin

• The basics of understanding Whole Genome Sequence data: Heather Carleton, CDC
• New York State Health Department’s experience with implementing Whole Genome Cluster Analysis for Salmonella outbreak investigations: Bill Wolfgang, NY
• Listeria Sequencing in Real Time: Peter Gerner-Smidt, CDC
• Applied Maths: wgMLST in routine surveillance: Hannes Pouseele, Applied Maths

Palantir/SEDRIC Training
Moderators: Thai-An Nguyen, Jeshua Pringle, Matt Wise, Ian Williams

Individual Conference Sessions

PulseNet Track

PulseNet and Beyond: Updates on PulseNet International & New Technologies
Moderators: Brian Sauders, Peter Gerner-Smidt, Kristy Kubota

• IHRC Award Presentation: Richard Draut, IHRC
• Innovative platforms for training and communications in PulseNet Latin America and Caribbean: Mariana Pichel, PN LA & C
• Updates on PulseNet International Activities: Gladys Gonzalez-Aviles, CDC
• PulseNet in Change: Challenges and Opportunities: Peter Gerner-Smidt, CDC

Challenges Labs Face, Learning as we Move Forward
Moderators: Julia Wolfe, Rebekah Berry, Steven Stroika, Jennifer Adams

• This is your life! CIDT and Public Health Laboratories: Amy Woron, TN
• PFGE Shortcuts that Save a Penny but Cost a Dollar: Molly Freeman, CDC

Breakout Session: Breakout into groups by Area Laboratory/PulseNet Region

OutbreakNet and Environmental Health Track

Notes from the Field
Moderators: Venessa Cantu, Jamie DeMent

• Salmonella enterica Serotype Paratyphi B var. Java Gastroenteritis Outbreak Associated with Unpasteurized Tempeh, North Carolina, 2012: Nicole Lee, NC
• Somerset County (NJ) initiative to improve reporting of foodborne illness: Michele Samarya-Timm, NJ
• Reporting of Foodborne illness by US Consumers and Healthcare Professionals: Catherine Strohbehn, IA
• Igotsick: A Self Reporting Complaint System: Cindy Burnett, UT
• Barking Up the Right Tree: Using Routine Surveillance to Detect Salmonella in Pet Foods and Link to human Infections: Justin Henderson, MI
• Salmonellosis associated with homemade unpasteurized queso fresco: Carlota Medus, MN

Cottage Food Industry Moderators: Suzanne Wilson, Janet Tucker, Hannah Gould, Ric Encarnacion

• What are cottage foods? What is included? What isn’t? Ernest Julian, AFDO
• How does a state go about setting up a program to regulate cottage foods? Tom Arbizu, TX

Thursday, November 21, 2013

PulseNet Track

Innovations in Subtyping of Bacterial Pathogens
Moderators: David Melka, Molly Freeman, Julia Wolfe, Ginette Dobbins

• Subtyping the top 30 Salmonella serotypes using a combination of CRISPR elements and virulence genes: Heather Carleton, CDC
• Non-PulseNet PFGE
• What is PFGE Telling Us … Are We Listening? Julia Wolfe, CAOC
• PFGE testing for Ochrobactrum anthropi, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Klebsiella oxytoca: Ginette Dobbins, MN
• How Close is Close Enough: Managing Expectations in Non-Traditional Subtyping: Amanda Bruesch, ID

PulseNow and PulseNext…
Moderators: Kelley Hise, Steven Stroika, Jeannette Dill

• BioNumerics for PulseNet: today and tomorrow: Hannes Pouseele, Applied Maths
• Database Updates and Reminders: Beth Tolar, CDC
• Q&A with presenters, moderators and Brenda Brown, CDC

PulseStar Awards

Closing Remarks
Peter Gerner-Smidt, CDC

Environmental Health Track

Environmental Health Award

Environmental Assessment Training
Moderator: Carol Selman

• Environmental Assessment Training: Kristin Delea, CDC and Erik Coleman, CDC
• FDA’s Environmental Assessment Approach: Katie Vierk Brill, FDA/CORE

Environmental Health Updates and Activities – Listeria monocytogenes in delis
Moderators: Justin Henderson, Heidi Kassenborg, Marguerite Pappaioanou

• Interagency focus on Listeria monocytogenes in delis: Kristin Holt, USDA FSIS
• EHS-Net deli study and deli equipment design: Ernest Julian, RI
• Regulatory environmental health oversight of delis: Brian Sauders, NYS Dept. Agriculture & Markets

Public Health on the High Seas; an overview of CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program Moderator: Vincent Radke

• Ship vs. shore-side health inspections and ship outbreak case studies: Andrew Kupper, CDC-VSP

OutbreakNet Track

OutbreakNet Award

Notes from the Field
Moderators: Venessa Cantu, Jamie DeMent

• Multistate outbreak of listeriosis associated with imported ricotta salata and evidence of cross- contamination of other cheese: Kate Heiman, CDC
• Case-Control Study of a Cryptosporidiosis Outbreak associated with a Petting Zoo: Empowering Communities using Secure and Confidentials Direct Web Entry in a NEDSS: Dustin Ortbahn, SD
• Multi-state Outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni Infections Associated with Undercooked Chicken Livers: Bradley Tompkins, VT
• Prisons, Pruno and Potatoes – Botulism in an Arizona Prison, 2012: Rashida Hassan, AZ
• Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with bagged salad, Tennessee, 2012: Ellyn Marder, TN
• Gastrointestinal Illness Outbreak Associated with a Theme Park Safari Excursion: Ben KleKamp, FL

Multi-state Outbreak(s) of Cyclosporiasis, 2013 Moderator:
Kirk Smith

• Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: The Nebraska Experience: Manjiri Joshi, NE
• Texas Department of State Health Services: The Texas Experience: Venessa Cantu, TX
• FDA Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network: The Role of Tracebacks and Traceforward: Carla Tuite, FDA
• CDC: How Many Outbreaks Were There? Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together: Ian Williams, CDC

Listeria Initiative
Moderator: Raj Mody

• Overview of Listeria Initiative: Ben Silk, CDC
• Overview of the new WGS Project: John Besser, CDC
• Examples of how WGS has been of value in the first 3 months of the project: Ben Silk, CDC
• Discussion of what can be done to make even more effective: Ben Silk, CDC

MLVA Interpretation for Epis
Moderators: Colin Schwensohn, Latoya Simmons
Speakers: Ashley Sabol, CDC and Joshua Rounds, MN

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