National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (narms)- Surveillance in Retail Food Specimens in Missouri

Project Summary - Missouri State Public Health Laboratory (MSPHL)The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Missouri State Public HealthLaboratory (MSPHL) proposes to support the National Antimicrobial Resistance MonitoringSystem (NARMS) Retail Meat Surveillance Program by continuing its current sampling of retailmeats and testing for Salmonella and Campylobacter. Sampling and testing will be performedas directed in the NARMS Retail Meat Surveillance Laboratory Protocol, including optionalSalmonella serotyping and PFGE. Specifically, enhanced sampling consisting of eighty retailmeat samples will be collected in the mid-Missouri area and tested monthly. The MSPHL willship Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)monthly, and perform monthly sample and testing data exchange with NARMS using theelectronic log sheets provided by NARMS. Data will be shared with Missouri DHSS and localpublic health epidemiology programs. Outcomes include the testing of 960 retail meat samplesannually, which will lead to increased numbers of isolates submitted; improved data quality,sample diversity and timeliness of isolate and data submissions. In addition, the sharing andreview of testing and antimicrobial data will be used by epidemiology programs to detect foodborne disease outbreaks and coordinate investigations; educate DHSS administrators, localpublic health officials and the general public on current and emerging health hazards; supportfood safety program awareness of antimicrobial resistance among the public; analyze for trendsto inform DHSS management and assist with policy development; and data will be used by thelaboratory to assess accuracy of testing results and quality assurance practices.Page 1 of 1