Surveillance Infection Diseases by National Reference Centres humane microbiology: Salmonella en Shigella spp.

Since 2011, the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases Service of Sciensano, in charge of the surveillance of infectious diseases, coordinates a network of reference human microbiology laboratories, called National Reference Centres (NRCs). Each NRC, composed of one or more laboratories, is designated as such for a pathogen or group of pathogens according to well-defined criteria in a procedure that is repeated at an interval of up to 5 years. The Royal Decree of 9 February 2011 defines the legal and financial framework within which the NRCs operate and the tasks they must perform. NRC activities cover 41 pathogens or groups of pathogens identified as priorities due to needs in terms of diagnosis, quality of care and public health. The NRCs therefore provide support to healthcare providers and epidemiologists by transmitting microbiological and epidemiological data to Sciensano once a year. The role of NRCs is to contribute to the confirmation and/or diagnosis of certain pathogens (rare or difficult to identify) in samples sent by peripheral laboratories and to carry out the characterization of the referred strains (genotyping, antigen examination, antibiotic resistance study and other tests). Strain characterisation is important for detecting the emergence of new pathogens, observing the evolution of virulence and the distribution of circulating strains. This data thus helps to assess the effectiveness of health policies such as vaccination and the effectiveness of antibiotics. NRCs are also required to provide support to laboratories for laboratory techniques on the one hand and to authorities on the other hand in the management of health threats. This project involves NRC "Salmonella en Shigella spp."自2011年起，负责传染病监测的Sciensano传染病流行病学服务部门，统筹建设了国家级参考人类微生物学实验室网络，该网络被称为国家参考中心（National Reference Centres，NRCs）。每个由一个或多个实验室组成的国家参考中心，会依据明确的判定标准，针对某一种或一类病原体获得官方认定资质，该认定流程每最长间隔5年复核一次。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经费框架，同时规定了其必须履行的法定职责。国家参考中心的工作覆盖41种因诊断需求、医疗服务质量保障及公共卫生考量被列为优先级的病原体或病原体类群。因此，国家参考中心每年都会向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（罕见或难以鉴别的病原体）进行确认或辅助诊断；同时对送检菌株开展分型鉴定工作，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。菌株分型鉴定工作对于发现新型病原体、监测病原体毒力演化及流行菌株的分布特征至关重要。此类数据可用于评估疫苗接种等卫生政策的实施效果，以及抗生素的临床应用有效性。此外，国家参考中心还需一方面为实验室提供实验技术支持，另一方面协助主管部门开展公共卫生威胁的应对管理工作。 本项目涉及的国家参考中心为‘沙门氏菌与志贺氏菌属（Salmonella en Shigella spp.）’