Short summary

The aim of this PhD project is to investigate if new bacteriological typing methods can be used to achieve a more sufficient surveillance of the spread of antibiotic resistant and sensitive bacteria in hospitals.

Det vil desuden blive undersøgt om klonal diversitet og klontyper kan anvendes som risikomarkører for spredning af resistente bakterier.

Rationale

Recent technological development has provided numbers of new technologies which have the potential to bring infection control at hospitals to a new level. Bacteria can be screened for similarities with the fast typing method Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and compared in detail by Whole Genome Sequencing(WGS) using either Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) analyses or a novel typing system called core genome Multi Locus Sequence Typing (cg-MLST).

Using real-life data from application of these methods in a large University Hospital, the studies described in this PhD-project will evaluate the use of these laboratory technologies as supportive tools for infection control for tracing outbreaks and transmission of antibiotic-resistant and -sensitive bacteria within the hospital.

This project is divided into four separate studies. All the studies utilize new technology in combination with established approaches, for prevention and detection of hospital transmission of hospital-acquired infections. Each of the studies is expected to result in a scientific article.

Description of the cohort

Microorganisms detected from hospitalized patients at Odense Universityhospital in the period 2014-2020, disregarding their diagnosis

Data and biological material

Microorganisms detected by growth of all kinds of samples

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Clinical Microbiology, OUH

Statens Serum Institut