Disease and laboratory networks
ECDC Disease Programmes coordinate operational disease networks. As part of these networks, ECDC supports several sub-networks or consortia of public health microbiology laboratories in EU/EEA countries, to enhance capabilities and strengthen capacity for pathogen detection, characterisation and surveillance of specific diseases and antimicrobial resistance. These sub-networks of public health microbiology laboratories contribute and support with essential information to integrate epidemiological and microbiological surveillance of the EU notifiable communicable diseases listed under Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on serious cross-border threats to health.
These networks will be supported by EU reference laboratories (EURLs) designated by the European Commission. The EURLs will strengthen coordination and harmonisation of laboratory activities across diseases within the EU/EEA.
ECDC supports laboratory subnetworks in Europe by coordinating
- network collaboration activities
- external quality assessments (EQA)
- training schemes
- assessment of the accuracy or effectiveness of a new microbiological methods for the detection or characterisation of pathogen(s) of importance to public health.
Networks provide services for detection and/or further characterisation of pathogens, including testing of new technologies, emerging disease detection or agent identification/diagnostic confirmation support and typing support for multi-country outbreak investigations.
Some ECDC Disease Programmes operate a single laboratory subnetwork embracing a single or multiple pathogens, while others run several subnetworks. ECDC coordinates the disease network activities with the support of a coordination committee consisting of representatives from the EU/EEA countries. The variation in scope and organisation of the outsourced microbiology support activities reflect the diagnostic complexity and diverse surveillance or epidemic preparedness needs for the various pathogens.