This ECDC gap analysis demonstrates that there are potentially significant gaps in diphtheria diagnostic capacity within the EU/EEA in terms of surveillance, specialised laboratory diagnostics, expertise and availability of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT). The results highlight the importance of sound surveillance systems for diphtheria and laboratory personnel training, as well as the need to ensure access to immunisation and high vaccination coverage rates.
This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 9 July - 15 July 2017 and includes updates on measles, influenza A(H7N9), poliomyelitis, cholera, yellow fever, WorldPride event and West Nile fever.
This gap analysis demonstrated that there are significant gaps in diphtheria diagnostic capacity within the EU/EEA, with only six Member States fulfilling the minimum criteria in terms of surveillance, specialised laboratory diagnostics and expertise.
ECDC promotes the performance of external quality assessment (EQA) schemes, in which laboratories are sent simulated clinical specimens or bacterial isolates for testing by routine or reference laboratory methods. EQA schemes, or laboratory proficiency testing, provide information about the accuracy of different characterisation and typing methods as well as antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and the sensitivity of the methods in place to detect a certain pathogen or novel resistance patterns.
ECDC encourages adoption of EU and ISO quality standards for diagnostic and reference laboratory services by its partners in EU laboratory networks and in line with national arrangements and regulations.