Among the solutions offered by bioMérieux's disruptive Augmented Diagnostics approach, manufacturers can count on pathogen mapping. This solution starts with the sampling of a persistent pathogenic bacterium and seeks to characterize it through genomics. In other words, decipher its DNA profile and understanding how it works. A highly effective solution.

A precise map showing what the problem is, where it is, and even how to fix it...

What manufacturer hasn't dreamed of this ideal solution when faced with an invisible and persistent pathogen, already detected and identified, but which returns to his plant despite all his efforts? A dream come true thanks to pathogen mapping, one of the solutions offered by Augmented Diagnostics, bioMérieux's disruptive approach. The idea for this ultra-precise mapping was born in 2020... As a reminder, in this context, the pandemic is paralyzing the whole world, and one of bioMérieux's partner customers is faced with identified but persistent pathogens. Although many efforts have already been made to eradicate them, it is clear that they are coming back. Between the exorbitant cost of destroying production and the imperative need to feed the population, teams from the customer's laboratories and bioMérieux are working together to find the causes in order to solve the problem. Samples of strains are taken in the factory, while older ones are recovered and sent for sequencing. The aim: to find the intruder's precise "identity card" through its DNA.

What makes this strain so persistent?

It's a long process, given that the new technology used is genomics, but it's a crucial one. Within three weeks (in average) pathogen strains are precisely identified thanks to genotypes, links are established between certain genes and the strains' ability to resist biocidal and thermal treatments, and finally, a mapping system is set up to study the environment and analyze the evolution of strains within the production site. In two months, the bioMérieux team had succeeded in understanding the precise history of this contamination, unravelling its characteristics and discussing it with the client-partner. An action plan is proposed and implemented, with total efficiency. The principle of pathogen mapping was born. The experts at bioMérieux will need to make a further effort to shorten lead times and bring this Augmented Diagnostics solution to market. In 2024, this outsourced solution is completed in average of three weeks (average analysis time from receipt of strains to expert report) It is the an accurate solution for characterizing persistent pathogens in the environment.

The same exists for spoilers, non-pathogenic contaminating bacteria, thanks the "spoilers mapping".