Activities
In the menu below, you can find all relevant information about the activities of the EURL-PH-FWDB, including the aims, description, application procedure, and contacts, where relevant. The schedule of upcoming EURL activities is available under the Calendar.
Support to Network laboratories
One of the objectives of the EURL-PH-FWDB is to support the network laboratories by providing reference diagnostics, reference materials, and scientific and technical advice. This support strengthens diagnostic capabilities through the provision of protocols and strains, as well as assistance with strain characterisation, enabling rapid diagnosis and the development of improved methods. The laboratories also receive technical guidance in the form of SOPs, laboratory protocols, and other guidance documents developed by the EURL-PH-FWDB.
By equipping laboratories with reference materials and diagnostics and typing procedures, the network improves their ability to detect and characterise food- and waterborne bacteria quickly and accurately, supporting early outbreak detection, rapid response, and emergency preparedness. This, in turn, promotes harmonised and reliable methods across the EU/EEA, strengthens epidemiological surveillance and monitoring, enhances cross-border collaboration and information sharing, and ultimately contributes to a stronger public health system in EU/EEA countries.
The lists of available reference diagnostics and characterisation services, and reference materials can be accessed using following links:
Reference diagnostics and characterisation services
Reference strains for Campylobacter
Reference strains for Listeria
Reference strains for Salmonella and Shigella
Reference strains for Siga Toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and other diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC)
Requests for support from NFPs/OCPs to the EURL-PH-FWDB will be collected through a dedicated online form. If you wish to request support from the EURL-PH-FWDB, including the provision of reference materials, diagnostics and characterisation services, as well as scientific and technical advice, please complete the form available here.
Contact
External Quality Assessments (EQAs)
The EURL-PH-FWDB organises regular External Quality Assessments (EQAs). Participation of network laboratories in regular EQAs results in timely identification of gaps in processes and shortcomings in currently applied techniques and supports accreditation of conducted activities. EQAs increase knowledge and capabilities on relevant methods used for identification/typing/cluster analysis of target pathogens and implementation of state-of-the-art methods, leading to improved strain identification, -characterisation and outbreak assessment.
See Calendar for upcoming EURL EQAs.
Contact
EQA-Salmonella-EURL-PH-FWDB@rivm.nl
EQA-Shigella-EURL-PH-FWDB@rivm.nl
EQA-Cam-EURL-PH-FWDB@ssi.dk
EQA-Lis-EURL-PH-FWDB@ssi.dk
EQA-STEC-EURL-PH-FWDB@iss.it
Trainings
The EURL-PH-FWDB develops, organises, and delivers training activities on relevant topics about the target pathogens and, if applicable, other emerging topics for the network laboratories. These activities support the development of reference laboratory functions, including surveillance, confirmatory testing, and molecular typing of food- and waterborne bacteria, to facilitate outbreak detection, investigation, and response to cross-border health threats. In this way, network laboratories continue to improve their laboratory skills and knowledge and remain up to-date on current issues in the field of food- and waterborne bacteria. Trainings also foster stronger, long-term collaboration and alignment between participating laboratories.
Incoming requests for training topics will be evaluated annually, and the in-person training sessions and webinars will focus on topics related to the methods covered by the EQAs or other identified needs within the disease networks, based on network surveys, training feedback survey results, and other relevant input. Topics will be related to Salmonella spp., STEC, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., and Shigella spp., and if needed extended to also cover Vibrio spp. and Yersinia spp. (excluding Y. pestis). In total, there will be 14 of these activities over 7 years.
See Calendar for upcoming EURL Trainings.
Contact
Scientific advice to ECDC
The EURL-PH-FWDB will participate in ECDC-EFSA Advisory Board meetings, provide scientific advice to ECDC upon request, and support the FWD network during outbreak situations.
Through these activities, the EURL-PH-FWDB strengthens the integration of laboratory expertise into EU-level surveillance and response, supports harmonised approaches to genomic data use, and enhances preparedness and response to cross-border health threats.
