| The epidemics in recent years of Ebola haemorrhagic
fever in Zaire and Gabon acted as a reminder that dangerous infections can
be imported very quickly into Europe. Meetings on emerging and re-emerging
pathogens organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1993 and 1994
(1,2) focused on the problems of arboviruses and haemorrhagic fever viruses,
and the need to form a worldwide network for the exchange of information,
reagents, and methodologies.
In five meetings scientists from laboratories working in the field of
diagnostics of "imported" viral diseases in the United Kingdom,
Sweden, France, Greece, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal,
Finland, Italy and Germany have started to build up a network to improve
the diagnostics of "imported" viral infections. At present the
initiative is supported by members from almost all European Union (EU)
countries. A manifest summarising the network tasks has been worked out
and signed by each partner and their institution:
1. Build a network of European laboratories working on diagnostics of
"imported", rare and emerging viral infections. Provide mutual
help in the exchange of diagnostic samples, i.e. sera, viruses, methods,
and information in order to improve diagnostics.
2. Identify those viral infections more likely to be imported and coordinate
the objectives and identify the laboratories, capable and willing to perform
the rapid diagnostics (<24h) of an acute case, suspected to be infected
with a viral haemorrhagic fever.
3. Work out recommendations for standardisation and quality control in
laboratories involved in the diagnostics of such diseases.
4. Identify and operate standard assays according to defined quality
control criteria.
5. Optimise limited resources by exchanging reagents, methodologies,
and expertise.
6. Encourage regular contact within the network through meetings, exchange
and training of laboratory personnel.
7. Open the network for members of other European laboratories.
8. Organise and co-ordinate international activities with the "Surveillance
network group", the "Task force on vaccines and viral diseases",
or other national organisations like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
or international organisations like WHO and Pan American Health Organization.
As a start the network has established working groups for tickborne encephalitis,
hanta, and dengue and begun to evaluate in-house hanta and dengue assays
with expert laboratories in the European Union. A plan of action for the
diagnosis of suspected cases of Ebola haemorrhagic fever has been prepared.
The collaboration offers the chance to create a functional diagnostic
network for viral diseases, assuring a broad diagnostic spectrum for all
its European members. Tasks of regional or international interest could
be defined and worked out by one expert laboratory for the other partners.
In the long run, this initiative offers the opportunity of increasing
the awareness of responsible medical institutions in EU countries of the
problem of emerging and re-emerging viral diseases. By creating these
surveillance activities, we will be able to recognise better and respond
in the future to threatening emerging and re-emerging diseases.
Note
Partners from other European countries working in this field are welcome
to participate. For further information and contact see: http://www2.rki.de/INFEKT/ENIVD/ENIVD_P.HTM
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