Regional Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Enterobacteria
The Laboratory takes part in the national network for surveillance of infections by Pathogenic Enterobacteria.
The network, known as Enter-Net Italia, is coordinated by the National Institute of Health (ISS), and collects and manages data of human and environmental origin. The network makes use of the collaboration of the Regional Reference Laboratories and represents the Italian section of the European surveillance network for infections by Salmonella spp. and Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC), and for monitoring the resistance of these bacteria to antimicrobial drugs.
In 1999 a second network, known as Enter-Vet, was set up which, in close collaboration with the first, collects and manages data of veterinary origin (foodstuffs, animals, feeds).
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Enterobacteria tasks are as follows:
- serological typing of the strains of Salmonella and of other enteropathogenic bacteria (Shigella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC), Campylobacter Jejuni);
- studying their resistance profiles in relation to anti-microbial drugs, both with classical methods and with molecular methods;
- molecular characterization of the strains of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli involved in focuses of alimentary toxic infection;
- sending data to and collaborating with the surveillance networks Enter-net Italia and Enter-Vet;
- comparing the results of the surveillance over Abruzzo territory with the results from other Italian Regions and other European countries which take part in the Enter-Net Italia network.
The bacterial strains isolated from humans, animals and the environment, coming from hospitals, other health institutions in the Abruzzo Region or from the Laboratories of the Istituto G. Caporale have to arrive at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Enterobacteria accompanied by the appropriate data collection form:
form for sending strains of enterobacteria isolated from foodstuffs, animals and feeds(49 KB)
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Giuliano Garofolo
Head
Giuliano Garofolo is a veterinary officer and Head of the National Reference Laboratory for Campylobacter. In this role, he coordinates activities at the national level, ensuring the quality and oversight of analyses for this zoonotic agent, which has a significant impact on both the Italian and European populations.
Giuliano Garofolo is a veterinary officer and Head of the National Reference Laboratory for Campylobacter. In this role, he coordinates activities at the national level, ensuring the quality and oversight of analyses for this zoonotic agent, which has a significant impact on both the Italian and European populations.
He leads work in specialist bacteriology, molecular identification and typing of pathogenic bacteria, and provides support in the development of bacterial vaccines. He also has extensive experience in research management and has served in leadership roles in several national and international projects.
Over the past 15 years, he has worked in the fields of food safety, animal health, and highly pathogenic bacteria. His main scientific interests include molecular evolution of bacteria, antimicrobial resistance, and applied strategies for its control and mitigation, with a particular focus on public health impact. He is also interested in the study and application of CRISPR technology in microbiology.
His research primarily focuses on the use of innovative methodologies to monitor diseases and outbreaks, studying their evolution and spread over time and space.
He has authored 76 publications in peer-reviewed international journals and has an h-index of 24, according to the SCOPUS citation database.
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