isolate

An isolate is a single strain of a microorganism, such as a bacterium, that has been separated from a sample of food, animals, humans, or the environment and grown in the laboratory. Studying isolates allows scientists to understand the microorganism’s characteristics, like whether it can cause disease, its resistance to antibiotics, and its genetic relationship to other strains.

EFSA uses isolates to get detailed information about foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). By analysing isolates, EFSA can track how harmful bacteria spread through the food chain from animals to humans, identify patterns of resistance to multiple antibiotics, evaluate the effectiveness of control measures, and investigate outbreaks. Advanced techniques like whole genome sequencing (WGS) help EFSA link cases, detect new resistance genes, and provide scientific evidence for risk assessments and EU food safety policies.