| Pandemic preparedness
Human Influenza
The European Commission working paper on Community Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Planning is being implemented by the EISS Co-ordinating Centre (EISS-CC) to prepare a pandemic preparedness protocol. This protocol describes at the laboratory and clinical level actions the EISS-CC, the clinical surveillance network and the CNRL must take at the different stages of a pandemic. For the CNRL, the protocol will be used to identify gaps in the network regarding the ability to detect potentially pandemic viruses.
The EISS-CC has initiated a number of inventories on preparedness in the past when necessary. For example in response to the outbreak of A(H5N1) influenza in 2003 in Asia and to the import of avian influenza A(H5N1) to Belgium in November 2004. While in neither case human cases of A(H5N1) influenza were reported in Europe, these inventories are important exercises to ensure that the CNRL is prepared and alert. As of October 2005, the EISS who-is-who and resources database will represent up-to-date information on CNRL pandemic preparedness. See below for a summary of the CNRL preparedness level for the detection of the A(H5N1) virus. Laboratories not able to detect potentially pandemic viruses will be assisted in the form of training, materials or the diagnosis of samples by other laboratories.
Summary of the CNRL preparedness for detection of A(H5N1)
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Thirty-two laboratories questioned.
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Twenty-six laboratories indicated being prepared for H5 testing.
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Twenty-two laboratories indicated being prepared for H5 testing by nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAT).
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Four laboratories indicated being prepared for H5 testing by antigenic testing only.
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The CNRL has up-to-date protocols, primers and control materials for the detection of H5N1 viruses circulating in 2005.
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Twenty-five laboratories have BSL-3 facilities (5 of these also have BSL-4) necessary for the culture and antigenic characterisation of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and possibly pandemic viruses.
Status as of January 2005 |
Animal Influenza
To improve the preparedness of the CNRL for detection of potentially pandemic animal influenza viruses, collaboration has been sought with the Community Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Europe at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK. Information on influenza A(H5N1) virus detection has been exchanged with an aim to harmonise laboratory procedures.
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