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Abstract

Background

Integrated genomic surveillance (IGS), i.e. the integrated analysis of pathogen whole genome sequencing and classical epidemiological data, can contribute substantially to the disease surveillance and infection prevention activities of local public health authorities (LPHAs).

Aim

Our aim was to characterise how LPHAs use IGS, and factors required or important for their implementation, in the context of the German public health system.

Methods

We employed a mixed-methods design combining a quantitative survey of 60 LPHAs in three German states with five qualitative case studies based on LPHAs in four German localities and one state-level public health authority.

Results

Approximately half of LPHAs reported adoption of IGS; applications included outbreak analysis (n = 25), targeting and evaluation of infection control measures (n = 25 and n = 18, respectively) and characterisation of pathogen transmission chains (n = 25). Factors identified as required or important for the implementation of IGS in LPHAs included fast sample-to-result turnaround times, organisational data interpretation capabilities and clearly defined surveillance sampling strategies. Based on the case studies in which the adoption of IGS was successful, we formulate recommendations for implementing IGS at the level of LPHAs, including establishment of dedicated IGS analysis teams within LPHAs, use of user-friendly digital solutions (e.g. browser-based dashboards) for data exchange and analysis, and implementation of IGS in collaboration with local academic institutions.

Conclusion

Our analysis paves the way for increasing the implementation of IGS by LPHAs in Germany and other countries with similarly structured public health systems.

© Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.13.2400508
2025-04-03
2025-04-04
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.13.2400508
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Use of integrated genomic surveillance by local public health authorities: Recommendations based on a mixed-methods study of current adoption, applications and success factors, Germany, 2023
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Anna+Bludau&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bludau Anna</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Alexander+Jack&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Jack Alexander</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nicole+Fischer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Fischer Nicole</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Johannes+Dreesman&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Dreesman Johannes</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Christian+Drosten&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Drosten Christian</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Richard+Egelkamp&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Egelkamp Richard</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Lutz+Ehlkes&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ehlkes Lutz</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Fabian+Feil&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Feil Fabian</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Adam+Grundhoff&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Grundhoff Adam</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Hajo+Grundmann&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Grundmann Hajo</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Pascal+Kreuzer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kreuzer Pascal</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Masyar+Monazahian&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Monazahian Masyar</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Inga+Overesch&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Overesch Inga</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Daniel+Schmitt&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Schmitt Daniel</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Markus+Tr%C3%B6ger&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Tröger Markus</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Alexandra+von+Reiswitz&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">von Reiswitz Alexandra</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jonas+Weber&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Weber Jonas</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Alexander+Dilthey&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Dilthey Alexander</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Claudia+Hornberg&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hornberg Claudia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Sandra+Reuter&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Reuter Sandra</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Simone+Scheithauer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Scheithauer Simone</a></span>. Use of integrated genomic surveillance by local public health authorities: Recommendations based on a mixed-methods study of current adoption, applications and success factors, Germany, 2023. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2025;30(13):pii=2400508. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.13.2400508" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.13.2400508</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 29 Jul 2024;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 02 Dec 2024 </span> </p>
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