ECDC is publishing the first external quality assurance scheme (EQA) for Bordetalla pertusis PCR,  participated by 21-one laboratories from 21 European Union/European Economic Area countries.

This report on EQA performance shows that European Reference Laboratories for Meningococci differ in their capacities and the level of characterisation of the distributed N. meningitidis material, but that there have been improvements since the first ECDC IBD-labnet distribution.

​In May 2012 a collection of five strains of Haemophilus spp  was sent to 28 participating reference laboratories in the IBD-labnet surveillance network for quality assurance testing. The laboratories were asked to characterise the five strains by performing standard laboratory protocols for the methods usually used by the laboratory for: species identification, biotyping and serotyping by serological methods and/or PCR.  
The results of this EQA are published in the this report.

The results of this external quality assurance distribution have shown that European Haemophilus reference laboratories differ in the level of characterisation of strains, ranging from simple speciation to full identification and typing. All but two laboratories routinely phenotypically serotype isolates. Fifteen laboratories (52%) performed PCR-based capsular genotyping, 23 laboratories (79%) reported antimicrobial susceptibility testing results.

This report outlines the development of a competency framework covering key knowledge, skills and attitudes critical for the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation.

The influenza vaccination communication guide provide advice, guidance and campaign materials to support national influenza vaccination campaigns with the purpose of increasing the influenza vaccination uptake in the EU Member States.