Interregional Conference of Base Laboratories involved in influenza surveillance collaborating with Federal Influenza Centre (RII) and Federal Centre of Ecology and Epidemiology (IVI) took place October 24–25, 2011, in Saint–Petersburg, Russia. Authorized by Rospotrebnadzor, the event gathered more than 130 medical specialists, scientists and health authority officials from 56 Regional Base Laboratories and representatives from EuroWHO and CDC.
During the conference, the issues of A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic and post–pandemic period, results of influenza and ARI surveillance in Russia and worldwide, properties of circulating influenza strains, breakthroughs and improvements in influenza and ARI prevention and treatment were discussed. The conference included a workshop on maintaining and boosting routine and sentinel influenza surveillance in Russia.
