Evaluation of molecular detection for respiratory syncytial viruses in World Health Organization Europe region laboratories, 2020-2023.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common pathogen causing mostly mild-symptoms, but in young infants and elderly individuals it can lead to severe disease and death. After the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, more focus on and testing of patients with respiratory symptoms occurred, which led to an increase in RSV detections. Also, newly developed vaccines and prophylactic and therapeutic antibodies against RSV have been approved for use, increasing attention on the need for quality RSV diagnostics.

Health laboratory licensing: a policy and best-practice analysis.

Objective: To gain insight into how governments regulate their health laboratory sector, by reviewing health laboratory licensing legislation across different health-care systems in a diverse range of 18 countries worldwide.

Method: We selected countries for a diverse range of health-care systems, geography, income level, licensing legislation and standards adhered to. We selected aspects of health laboratory licensing that were consistently present in different countries and suitable for meaningful comparison, focusing on legislative approaches, certification and accreditation models, regulation, quality assurance, and biosafety and biosecurity requirements.

Low capacity for molecular detection of Alphaviruses other than Chikungunya virus in 23 European laboratories, March 2022.

Alphaviruses comprise over 30 identified species spread worldwide and carry a large global health burden. With vector expansion occurring in and around Europe, it is anticipated this burden will increase. Therefore, regular assessment of the diagnostic capabilities in Europe is important, e.

Excellent capability for molecular detection of -borne dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses but with a need for increased capacity for yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis viruses: an external quality assessment in 36 European laboratories.

Mosquito-borne viruses represent a large global health burden. With geographic expansion of competent vectors for chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus (DENV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) in Europe, it is anticipated that the number of autochthonous cases of these tropical viruses in Europe will increase. Therefore, regular assessment of diagnostic capabilities in Europe is important.

Standardized Phylogenetic Classification of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus below the Subgroup Level.

A globally implemented unified phylogenetic classification for human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) below the subgroup level remains elusive. We formulated global consensus of HRSV classification on the basis of the challenges and limitations of our previous proposals and the future of genomic surveillance. From a high-quality curated dataset of 1,480 HRSV-A and 1,385 HRSV-B genomes submitted to GenBank and GISAID (https://www.

High quality of SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostics in a diverse laboratory landscape through supported benchmark testing and External Quality Assessment.

A two-step strategy combining assisted benchmark testing (entry controls) and External Quality Assessments (EQAs) with blinded simulated clinical specimens to enhance and maintain the quality of nucleic acid amplification testing was developed. This strategy was successfully applied to 71 diagnostic laboratories in The Netherlands when upscaling the national diagnostic capacity during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The availability of benchmark testing in combination with advice for improvement substantially enhanced the quality of the laboratory testing procedures for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Potential for emergence of Japanese encephalitis in the European Union.

Background And Objective: No autochthonous human cases of Japanese encephalitis (JE) have been reported to date in the European Union (EU). In this study, we assess the likelihood of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) introduction and transmission within the EU and propose outbreak response measures.

Risk Assessment: Given the global geographical distribution of JEV, the probability of virus introduction into the EU is currently very low, with viremic bird migration being the most plausible pathway of introduction.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus European Laboratory Network 2022 Survey: Need for Harmonization and Enhanced Molecular Surveillance.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common pathogen causing mostly cold-like symptoms, but in very young infants and elderly individuals it can lead to severe disease and even death. There are currently promising developments both in vaccine development and in therapeutics that are expected to be approved soon. To get an impression within European countries of the laboratory diagnostics and surveillance activities, in anticipation of these developments, we queried the members of the European Respiratory Syncytial Virus Laboratory Network (RSV-LabNet, under the umbrella of the PROMISE project) via an online survey.

Global update on the susceptibilities of human influenza viruses to neuraminidase inhibitors and the cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor baloxavir, 2018-2020.

Global analysis of the susceptibility of influenza viruses to neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors (NAIs) and the polymerase acidic (PA) inhibitor (PAI) baloxavir was conducted by five World Health Organization Collaborating Centres for Reference and Research on Influenza during two periods (May 2018-May 2019 and May 2019-May 2020). Combined phenotypic and NA sequence-based analysis revealed that the global frequency of viruses displaying reduced or highly reduced inhibition (RI or HRI) or potential to show RI/HRI by NAIs remained low, 0.5% (165/35045) and 0.

The deployment of mobile diagnostic laboratories for Ebola virus disease diagnostics in Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Background: Ebola virus emerged in West Africa in December 2013. The ease of mobility, porous borders, and lack of public health infrastructure led to the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak to date.

Intervention: The 2013 EVD outbreak signalled the need for laboratory diagnostic capabilities in areas without strong public health systems.

Activation of TGF-β1 promoter by hepatitis C virus-induced AP-1 and Sp1: role of TGF-β1 in hepatic stellate cell activation and invasion.

Our previous studies have shown the induction and maturation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) in HCV-infected human hepatoma cells. In this study, we have investigated the molecular mechanism of TGF-β1 gene expression in response to HCV infection. We demonstrate that HCV-induced transcription factors AP-1, Sp1, NF-κB and STAT-3 are involved in TGF-β1 gene expression.

Hepatitis C virus-induced furin and thrombospondin-1 activate TGF-β1: role of TGF-β1 in HCV replication.

In this study, we demonstrated the molecular mechanisms of TGF-β1 induction as well as proteolytic activation in HCV (JFH-1)-infected cells. Our studies showed the synthesis and secretion of TGF-β1 in HCV-infected cells which was reduced in the presence of Ca(2+) chelators, an inhibitor of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake, and antioxidants. We also showed that the expression of HCV NS proteins NS3/4A, and NS5A can induce TGF-β1 by cell-based luciferase assay.