Look Who it Was Random video

Ion Sequencing Technology Helps Solve Outbreaks

3,160 views · Published 5 September 2011 · 2:19 · Indexed 24 September 2026

Channel: Thermo Fisher Scientific · 2011 · Education

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Visit http://www.cdc247contagion.com/ for more information.

Learn how Life Technologies' Ion semiconductor-based sequencing technology has helped identify the cause of recent outbreaks in a matter of hours instead of weeks.

Video Transcript:

14th Century -- The bubonic plague wipes out half of Europe's population -- 75 million people die
1918 -- "Spanish" flu pandemic kills 50 million
2009 -- The H1N1 flu pandemic sickens 88 million -- 18,000 people die
2011 -- E. coli outbreak in Europe is one of the deadliest in history
Sept. 2011 -- Contagion opens in theaters. The scenario: Billions die worldwide. 

Science fiction or reality?

The Contagion movie is definitely a scary scenario; but we have the tools to respond to it and we can control it in most cases. In these types of outbreaks it's very important to have a one stop shop for the technology. And from the initial DNA sequences done on new semiconductor ion based sequencing, all the way through validating and confirming that ion sequencing and then making the software available that makes an accurate test.

Life Technologies provides that whole "soup-to-nuts" solutions that's important in these outbreaks.

In 2009, Life Technologies and the CDC worked together to develop the first test to detect H1N1 flu virus.

In June 2011, scientists using the Ion PGM™ were the first to sequence a new strain of E. coli that killed nearly 50 people in Europe. 

This wonderful little machine is incredibly sensitive and even more specific in allowing us to identify what is the cause of a contagion. It allows for really quick responses to public health challenges. 

In a contagion situation time's really of an essence; so sequencing has always been critical. The biggest advance that we've made recently is that we've shrank the time from weeks to basically three hours.

PGM sequencing enables:

Development of rapid test to manage E. coli outbreak in Europe. -- June 2011
Identification of virulent strain of scarlet fever in China. -- July 2011
Molecular test to detect Klebsiella strain in the Netherlands. -- August 2011
Identification of possible new Pox virus strain killing endangered birds in California. -- September 2011

We know with ever more global travel, these bugs are going to spread around the world, and so we want to be prepared at every moment to react to these situations quickly. 

Visit http://www.cdc247contagion.com/ for more information.

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