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Inglis TJJ. A systematic approach to microbial forensics. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73. [PMID: 38305344 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerated developments in biotechnology that underpin infection science. These advances present an opportunity to refresh the microbial forensic toolkit. Integration of novel analytical techniques with established forensic methods will speed up acquisition of evidence and better support lines of enquiry. A critical part of any such investigation is demonstration of a robust causal relationship and attribution of responsibility for an incident. In the wider context of a formal investigation into agency, motivation and intent, the quick and efficient assembly of microbiological evidence sets the tone and tempo of the entire investigation. Integration of established and novel analytical techniques from infection science into a systematic approach to microbial forensics will therefore ensure that major perspectives are correctly used to frame and shape the evidence into a clear narrative, while recognizing that forensic hypothesis generation, testing and refinement comprise an iterative process. Development of multidisciplinary training exercises that use this approach will enable translation into practice and efficient implementation when the need arises.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J J Inglis
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- PathWest Laboratory Medicine, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
- Western Australian Country Health Service, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
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Stromberg ZR, Phillips SMB, Omberg KM, Hess BM. High-throughput functional trait testing for bacterial pathogens. mSphere 2023; 8:e0031523. [PMID: 37702517 PMCID: PMC10597404 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00315-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional traits are characteristics that affect the fitness and metabolic function of a microorganism. There is growing interest in using high-throughput methods to characterize bacterial pathogens based on functional virulence traits. Traditional methods that phenotype a single organism for a single virulence trait can be time consuming and labor intensive. Alternatively, machine learning of whole-genome sequences (WGS) has shown some success in predicting virulence. However, relying solely on WGS can miss functional traits, particularly for organisms lacking classical virulence factors. We propose that high-throughput assays for functional virulence trait identification should become a prominent method of characterizing bacterial pathogens on a population scale. This work is critical as we move from compiling lists of bacterial species associated with disease to pathogen-agnostic approaches capable of detecting novel microbes. We discuss six key areas of functional trait testing and how advancing high-throughput methods could provide a greater understanding of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R. Stromberg
- Chemical and Biological Signatures Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Shelby M. B. Phillips
- Chemical and Biological Signatures Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Kristin M. Omberg
- Chemical and Biological Signatures Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Becky M. Hess
- Chemical and Biological Signatures Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
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Eslami M, Chen YP, Nicholson AC, Weston M, Bell M, McQuiston JR, Samuel J, van Schaik EJ, de Figueiredo P. Neural network based integration of assays to assess pathogenic potential. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6021. [PMID: 37055450 PMCID: PMC10102301 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32950-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited data significantly hinders our capability of biothreat assessment of novel bacterial strains. Integration of data from additional sources that can provide context about the strain can address this challenge. Datasets from different sources, however, are generated with a specific objective and which makes integration challenging. Here, we developed a deep learning-based approach called the neural network embedding model (NNEM) that integrates data from conventional assays designed to classify species with new assays that interrogate hallmarks of pathogenicity for biothreat assessment. We used a dataset of metabolic characteristics from a de-identified set of known bacterial strains that the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory (SBRL) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has curated for use in species identification. The NNEM transformed results from SBRL assays into vectors to supplement unrelated pathogenicity assays from de-identified microbes. The enrichment resulted in a significant improvement in accuracy of 9% for biothreat. Importantly, the dataset used in our analysis is large, but noisy. Therefore, the performance of our system is expected to improve as additional types of pathogenicity assays are developed and deployed. The proposed NNEM strategy thus provides a generalizable framework for enrichment of datasets with previously collected assays indicative of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Eslami
- Netrias, LLC, 1162 Gateway Drive, Annapolis, MD, 21409, USA.
| | - Yi-Pei Chen
- Netrias, LLC, 1162 Gateway Drive, Annapolis, MD, 21409, USA
| | - Ainsley C Nicholson
- Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA
| | - Mark Weston
- Netrias, LLC, 1162 Gateway Drive, Annapolis, MD, 21409, USA
| | - Melissa Bell
- Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA
| | - John R McQuiston
- Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA
| | - James Samuel
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Erin J van Schaik
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Paul de Figueiredo
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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