Meetings of the measles/rubella laboratory network in the WHO European Region (2020)

13-16 November 2018, Copenhagen, Denmark

On 13–15 and 14–16 November 2018, two partially overlapping meetings of the WHO European Regional Measles/Rubella Laboratory Network (MR LabNet) took place in Copenhagen, Denmark. The first meeting was attended by representatives from laboratories in western and central European countries; the second was attended by representatives from laboratories in the Russian Federation and Newly Independent States. In both meetings participants were updated on progress and developments related to the MR LabNet and disease elimination programmes at regional and global levels, new molecular testing protocols, revised laboratory algorithms in connection with the new WHO Measles Rubella Laboratory Manual, serological testing kit comparison and validation and molecular external quality assessment (EQA). Also discussed were laboratory accreditation issues, the laboratory contribution to verification, reporting to WHO and eLearning tool development. A skills-strengthening session on viral sequence analysis and management, including reporting to the WHO Nucleotide Surveillance databases, was provided.