Microbiology

ECDC assists its networks of partners in Member States to maintain and improve their public health microbiology capacity. In this context, the network agreed on an updated strategic framework for the gradual, coordinated, and cost-efficient integration of data generated by whole genome sequencing into EU-level disease surveillance and outbreak investigations.

The ECDC microbiology team focused mainly on supporting the pandemic response, but the Centre also continued to support the European Commission in the implementation of the European regulation on in-vitro diagnostic devices, and assisted the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) in the preparation of calls to strengthen the capacity of EU reference laboratories concerning antibiotic resistance. In parallel, ECDC continued implementing its third roadmap for molecular typing.