«The Workshop on Influenza and ARI Sentinel Surveillance for the Specialists of the Regional Base Laboratories (RBL) Collaborating with the Influenza and ARI Monitoring Reference Centers» (Influenza and ARI Monitoring Reference Centers at the Research Institute of Influenza, Saint-Petersburg and D. I. Ivanovsky Research Institute of Virology, Moscow) was held September 28–30, 2010 at the Research Institute of Influenza (RII), St.-Petersburg.
The Workshop was organized by the Influenza and ARI Monitoring Reference Center of the RII and addressed integration of influenza and ARI sentinel clinical-laboratory epidemiological surveillance (ISS) into the system of influenza and ARI monitoring in Russia. The meeting gathered around 50 participants including representatives from 10 Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being) — affiliated RBLs participating in pilot ISS in Russia, as well as virologists, epidemiologists, medical and sanitary officers.
The Workshop agenda included overviews for ISS carried out in the European countries and «pilot» Russian territories. The Lipetsk RBL, located in the Central Russia, reported ISS experience achieved in its region.
In the course of the Workshop main results of the influenza pandemic 2009–2010, summary for influenza and ARI laboratory and epidemiological surveillance worldwide and in Russia and issues related to generation and production of up-to-date influenza vaccines were presented and discussed.
The development results of the first ever software, accomplished at RII, for rapid and efficient online ISS database updating were demonstrated. In the framework of the Workshop, Training Seminar in on-line data entry for the Russian RBLs’ staff, participating in pilot ISS, was conducted.
In addition, RII leading specialists advised Workshop attendees in influenza virus isolation and identification, influenza and ARI diagnosis with distribution of cell culture for virus isolation.
The Workshop participants adopted proposals to further improve software for ISS database operation, and to prepare regulatory documents and guidelines for national level ISS promotion.
Sponsors of the Workshop:
