Publications by authors named "Kimberley A MacDonald"

Article Synopsis
  • A new RNase H2-dependent PCR (rhPCR) genotyping assay has been developed to identify specific lineages and sub-lineages of Salmonella Heidelberg using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
  • The assay involves a series of 28 reactions targeting 14 specific DNA bases, effectively distinguishing 15 potential genetic groups of SH.
  • It demonstrates accuracy in identifying Salmonella strains, correlates with whole genome sequencing data, and shows promise for practical use in outbreak investigations and tracking sources of infection.
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Background: A multi-provincial outbreak of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis was linked to newly hatched chicks and poults from a single hatchery during the spring of 2015. In total, there were 61 human cases that were epidemiologically confirmed to be linked to the chicks and poults and the outbreak was deemed to have ended in the summer of 2015.

Methods: PulseNet Canada, in coordination with the affected provinces, used genome sequencing of human and agricultural Salmonella Enteritidis isolates to aid in the epidemiological investigation, while also using traditional typing methods such as phagetyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

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Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Heidelberg is a highly clonal serovar frequently associated with foodborne illness. To facilitate subtyping efforts, we report fully assembled genome sequences of 17 Canadian S Heidelberg isolates including six pairs of epidemiologically related strains.

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Background: GFG/NUDT is a nudix hydrolase originally identified as the product of the fibroblast growth factor-2 antisense (FGF-AS) gene. While the FGF-AS RNA has been implicated as an antisense regulator of FGF-2 expression, the expression and function of the encoded GFG protein is largely unknown. Alternative splicing of the primary FGF-AS mRNA transcript predicts multiple GFG isoforms in many species including rat.

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