Surveillance Infection Diseases by National Reference Centres humane microbiology: Rabies virus

Since 2011, Sciensano’s Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Service, responsible for the surveillance of infectious diseases, has been coordinating a network of reference human microbiology laboratories, known as the National Centres of Reference (CNR). Each CNR, composed of one or more laboratories, shall be designated as such for a pathogen or group of pathogens according to well-defined criteria in a procedure which is repeated at intervals of up to 5 years. The Royal Decree of 9/2/2011 defines the legal and financial framework within which CNRs operate and the tasks they must perform. CNR activities cover 41 pathogens or groups of pathogens identified as priorities due to diagnostic, quality of care and public health needs. CNRs therefore support healthcare providers and epidemiologists by transmitting microbiological and epidemiological data to Sciensano once a year. The role of RCNs is to contribute to the confirmation and/or diagnosis of certain pathogens (rare or difficult to identify) in the samples sent by peripheral laboratories and to perform the characterisation of the traced strains (genotyping, antigen examination, antibiotic resistance study and other tests). Strain characterisation is important for detecting the emergence of new pathogens, observing virulence trends and distribution of circulating strains. This helps to assess the effectiveness of health policies such as vaccination and antibiotic efficacy. CNRs are also required to provide support to laboratories for laboratory techniques and to authorities in the management of health threats. This project concerns the CNRC “Rabies virus”.自2011年起，负责传染病监测工作的Sciensano传染病流行病学服务部门，一直在协调一个人类微生物学参考实验室网络，该网络被称为国家参考中心（National Centres of Reference，CNR）。 每个由一个或多个实验室组成的国家参考中心，需依据一套每五年更新一次的明确遴选标准，被指定负责对应一种或一类病原体。2011年2月9日颁布的皇家法令，明确了国家参考中心的运营法律与财务框架，以及其必须履行的各项职责。当前国家参考中心的服务覆盖41种因诊断需求、医疗质量保障需求及公共卫生需求而被列为优先级的病原体或病原体类群。国家参考中心需每年向Sciensano报送微生物学与流行病学数据，以此为医疗服务提供者与流行病学家提供支持。 国家参考中心的核心职责包括：对基层实验室送检样本中的部分罕见或难以识别的病原体进行确认与/或诊断，并对溯源菌株开展分型鉴定工作，具体涵盖基因分型、抗原检测、抗生素耐药性研究及其他相关检测项目。菌株分型工作对于监测新型病原体的出现、观察毒力趋势以及循环菌株的分布情况至关重要，这有助于评估疫苗接种、抗生素疗效等卫生政策的实施效果。此外，国家参考中心还需为实验室提供技术支持，并协助当局开展健康威胁处置工作。 本项目聚焦于“狂犬病病毒”国家参考中心（CNRC Rabies virus）。