Surveillance Infection Diseases by National Reference Centres humane microbiology: Brucella spp.

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 “Brucella spp.”.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，便牵头协调一个国家级参考人体微生物学实验室网络，该网络被称为国家参考中心（National Centres of Reference，CNR）。 每个国家参考中心由一个或多个实验室组成，需依据明确的遴选标准，通过每五年重复一次的认定流程，针对某一种或一类病原体获得相关资质。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，以及其必须履行的工作职责。国家参考中心的工作覆盖41种（类）优先级病原体，这些病原体的选定基于诊断需求、医疗质量保障要求与公共卫生需求。因此，国家参考中心每年向Sciensano报送微生物学与流行病学数据，为医疗服务提供者与流行病学家提供支持。 国家参考中心的职能包括对基层实验室送检样本中的特定病原体（罕见或难以识别的病原体）进行确认和/或诊断，并对溯源菌株开展分型鉴定工作，包括基因分型、抗原检测、抗生素耐药性研究及其他相关实验。菌株分型鉴定对于检测新型病原体的出现、监测毒株毒力变化趋势与流行毒株的分布情况具有重要意义，有助于评估疫苗接种等卫生政策的实施效果，以及抗生素的临床疗效。此外，国家参考中心还需为实验室提供实验技术支持，并协助主管部门开展健康威胁应对管理工作。 本项目涉及布鲁氏菌属（Brucella spp.）国家参考中心。