PROJECT TEAM
Frederik Boetius Hertz, MD, PhD, Consultant at Department of Clinical Microbiology at Copenhagen University Hospital, Associate Professor, Bacteriology, Department of Immunology & Microbiology University of Copenhagen
THE NEED
Currently, only a limited subset of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is sequenced, leaving many outbreaks undetected—especially those caused by fully susceptible bacteria. Manual tracking of patient movement is time-consuming and inefficient, delaying intervention. Hospitals need faster, data-driven tools to trace outbreaks and stop transmission early.
THE SOLUTION
By scaling up WGS to include both resistant and susceptible bacteria, and integrating Epilinx to visualize patient contacts and movements, Root of the Outbreak provides a powerful epidemiological tool. It enables early detection of patient-to-patient spread, identification of outbreak origins, and targeted hygiene measures to contain infections before they escalate.
Root of the Outbreak - Rigshospitalet
Call 1 - 2022
500.000 DKK
Clinical Area
Infectious Disease, Hospital hygiene
Technology
HealthTech
PROJECT SUMMARY
Root of the Outbreak enhances infection control by combining whole-genome sequencing of diverse bacteria with Epilinx, a tool that visualizes patient movements. Epilinx has the potential to reduce HAIs and transmission.
CLINICAL IMPACT
The approach reduces hospital-acquired infections, lowers the use of last-resort antibiotics like Colistin, shortens hospital stays, and prevents unnecessary exposure to severe complications. Rapid containment of outbreaks will improve patient safety, reduce healthcare costs, and support national infection surveillance efforts.