Subject: For information: External quality assessment for molecular detection, subtyping and characterisation of potentially zoonotic type A influenza viruses, 2024
From: "ECDC respiratory viruses" <[email-masked]>
Cc: "ECDC Info" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:37:30 +0300

Tähelepanu! Tegemist on väljastpoolt asutust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu 
saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.

To: National Focal Points for Viral Respiratory Diseases, Operational 
Contact Points (Epi, Micro)  for influenza

Cc: National Coordinators

Dear Colleagues,

With this email we would like to inform you about the recently published 
ECDC EQA report produced through AURORAE consortium: External quality 
assessment for molecular detection, subtyping and characterisation of 
potentially zoonotic type A influenza viruses, 2024 
<https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/external-quality-assessment-molecular-detection-subtyping-and-characterisation> 
External quality assessment for molecular detection, subtyping and 
characterisation of potentially zoonotic type A influenza viruses, 2024

This EQA was performed in the European Union/European Economic Area 
(EU/EEA), Western Balkan countries and Türkiye.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀:
✅ All laboratories correctly detected influenza A viruses and identified the 
H5 subtype.
✅ 20 out of 30 laboratories could detect H5N1 at very low concentrations 
(8.11 genome copies/µl).
✅ Most laboratories demonstrated capacity in sequencing, but only some 
achieved full subtype and clade assignments.

𝗚𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱:
⚠️ Limited sensitivity in some tests
⚠️ Incomplete H- and N-subtyping, especially for swine influenza viruses
⚠️ Need for broader sequencing capacity and improved reporting
⚠️ Training required in using bioinformatics tools for genetic data 
interpretation

Best regards,

The ECDC Respiratory Viruses section

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

Gustav III:s boulevard 40, 169 73 Solna, Sweden

Phone +46 (0)8 58 60 10 00

www.ecdc.europa.eu

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