Laboratory capability and surveillance testing for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in the WHO European Region, June 2013.

Since September 2012, over 90 cases of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus, now named Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERSCoV), have been reported in the Middle East and Europe. To ascertain the capabilities and testing experience of national reference laboratories across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region to detect this virus, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe conducted a joint survey in November 2012 and a follow-up survey in June 2013. In 2013, 29 of 52 responding WHO European Region countries and 24 of 31 countries of the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) had laboratory capabilities to detect and confirm MERS-CoV cases, compared with 22 of 46 and 18 of 30 countries, respectively, in 2012. By June 2013, more than 2,300 patients had been tested in 23 countries in the WHO European Region with nine laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases. These data indicate that the Region has developed significant capability to detect this emerging virus in accordance with WHO and ECDC guidance. However, not all countries had developed capabilities, and the needs to do so should be addressed. This includes enhancing collaborations between countries to ensure diagnostic capabilities for surveillance of MERS-CoV infections across the European Region.

Evaluation of influenza virus antiviral susceptibility testing in Europe: results from the first external quality assessment exercise.

BACKGROUND: The first antiviral susceptibility testing external quality assessment (EQA) was held for European influenza reference laboratories during winter 2010/11. OBJECTIVES: To assess European network influenza antiviral susceptibility testing capability and provide participants with an independent performance evaluation. STUDY DESIGN: The EQA panel contained ten coded specimens of inactivated human influenza A and B viruses with reduced susceptibility to neuraminidase inhibitors (NAI), or adamantanes. Twenty-four laboratories from 19 member states of the WHO European region analysed the panel using phenotypic (determination of 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values by neuraminidase (NA) enzyme inhibition assay) and/or genotypic methods. RESULTS: All 24 laboratories returned genotypic data for A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus, 18 (75%) for former seasonal A(H1N1), 16 (67%) for A(H3N2) and 15 (63%) for influenza B virus, correctly identifying NAI or adamantane reduced susceptibility-associated substitutions in the NA (mean 84%; range 52-100%) or M2 (mean 85%; range 73-94%), respectively. Thirteen laboratories (54%) returned phenotypic NAI susceptibility data. Despite inter-laboratory and inter-assay IC(50) value variation, all 13 laboratories correctly identified oseltamivir reduced susceptibility/resistance in pure preparations of A(H1N1) oseltamivir-resistant viruses. However, only 11 (85%) identified oseltamivir reduced susceptibility/resistance in a mixture of A(H1N1)pdm09 oseltamivir-sensitive/-resistant viruses. Furthermore, 3 laboratories (23%) considered oseltamivir-sensitive influenza B virus reduced susceptible/resistant. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of NA-H275Y in A(H1N1) viruses was achieved by most laboratories. IC(50) values and interpretation thereof varied for a sensitive/resistant virus mixture and for influenza B virus. The results of this exercise will assist harmonisation of antiviral susceptibility testing, interpretation and reporting within the European network through targeted training.

Laboratory capability for molecular detection and confirmation of novel coronavirus in Europe, November 2012.

A rapid survey by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe ascertained the availability of national reference laboratory testing for a recently detected novel coronavirus as of 28 November 2012. Screening by internal quality controlled upE-RT-PCR assay was available in 23/46 of responding countries in the WHO European Region, of which 19/30 in European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries. Confirmation of positive screened samples by either ORF1b - RT-PCR, or other target RT-PCR assays with sequence analysis or whole-genome sequence analysis was available in 22/46 responding countries of which 18/30 in EU/EEA countries.