Etiological surveillance and exploration of multi-pathogen detection methods for foodborne diarrheal disease in Gansu, 2022–2023

Objective To understand the incidence and etiological characteristics of foodborne diarrheal disease in Gansu province from 2022 to 2023, and provide evidence for the development of relevant prevention and control strategies. At the same time, new detection methods were explored to provide new technology and new clues for the surveillance for foodborne diarrheal diseases.

Methods Stool samples were collected from 3 447 cases of foodborne diarrhea disease in Gansu from 2022 to 2023 for pathogen isolation, culture and identification by conventional assays. Pathogens isolated and identified included Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio Parahaemolyticus, diarrheic Escherichia coli and norovirus. In the diarrheal disease cases with abdominal pain, fever and vomiting, stool samples which were positive for any of the above pathogens and were not identified by conventional assays were detected by using QIAGEN's QIAstat-Dx gastrointestinal Panel assay.

Results A total of 3 447 cases of diarrheal disease were investigated in Gansu from 2022 to 2023, of which 383 samples (11.11%) were positive detected by conventional assays, including 220 norovirus positive ones (57.44%) and 96 diarrheic E. coli positive ones (25.07%). There were significant differences in the positive rate of pathogen among different age groups (χ²=66.007, P<0.05), areas (χ²=169.054, P<0.05) and occupation groups (χ²=74.469, P<0.05). The detection of the 5 target pathogens by gastrointestinal Panel assay of QIAstat-Dx was in good agreement with the detection of the 5 target pathogens by conventional assays (Kappa=0.817). Except 5 targeted pathogens, QIAstat-Dx gastrointestinal Panel assay detected 85 adenovirus (F40/41) positive samples (15.89%), 69 pathogenic Campylobacter positive samples (12.90%), and 56 rotavirus A positive samples (10.47%).

Conclusion The pathogen distribution and incidence of foodborne diarrheal disease varied in Gansu from 2022 to 2023, and it is necessary to take targeted prevention and treatment measures. Compared with conventional isolation and culture assays, QIAstat-Dx gastrointestinal Panel assay is more effective in detecting gastrointestinal pathogens in terms of simultaneous detection of multi-pathogens, and more accurate detection of pathogen spectrum of diarrheal disease cases.