From preparedness to response: EU Reference Laboratories for Public Health in action

Specialised laboratories are vital for helping countries detect and respond rapidly to communicable disease threats whenever needed, as the recent outbreaks of Ebola and hantavirus have demonstrated. The EU Reference Laboratories for Public Health (EURL-PH) are an important building block, bringing together specialised laboratory expertise to support national reference laboratories, strengthen and align diagnostic and surveillance capacities, and help share methods, expertise and good practice across countries. Their work includes providing reference diagnostics and materials, external quality assessments, scientific and technical support, training, and support during outbreaks.

The recent outbreaks of Ebola and hantavirus have shown how this investment in preparedness can translate into practical support. As Andes virus and Bundibugyo ebolavirus are very rare in the EU, it was essential to rapidly assess diagnostic capacity across Member States and ensure that all countries had what they needed to identify cases effectively. 

The EU Reference Laboratory for Public Health on Emerging, Rodent-borne, and Zoonotic Viral Pathogens, supported by the EU Reference Laboratory for Vector-Borne Viruses, was well placed to respond. They had been working to strengthen laboratory capacity and provide diagnostic support, protocols, reference materials and biosafety guidance since 2025. In the case of the Andes virus, the countries concerned received everything they needed for the diagnostics before the affected ship reached EU shores.

While the EU Reference Laboratories work with specific contact points in the Member States, their activities support public health microbiology at all levels. Check the page on EU Reference Laboratories for Public Health for more information and read about how public health stakeholders can benefit from these in the following guide: