Strengthen the capability in Europe for the identification and characterisation of swIAV
Aim
- To share and exchange protocols and SOPs in order to strengthen the capabilities for the detection and characterisation of swIAV circulating in Europe and for harmonized protocols within the community
- To support the development of new molecular and serological diagnostic assays
- To deliver in-person training courses on detection, isolation, molecular and serological diagnosis of swIAV (e.g. training schools, short-term scientific missions)
- To collect SOPs and protocols
- To collect lab information
To compare the variety of the tests and validation of the tests.
Cost-benefit analysis to understand whether serology is a tool for monitoring and sero-surveillance
Training school/ summer school workshop
Expected deliverables
Virological investigation
- Share protocols and SOPs for swIAV detection among the members
- Provide primer dataset for identification and sequencing of swIAV
- Guideline on workflow from A-Z (including sample collection and shipment, sample analysis policy (individual and pools), analysis protocols, …)
- Guideline on data collection and epidemiological investigation
Serological investigation
- Protocol on how to prepare reference antigens and antisera
- Protocol on how to perform ELISA and HI test and other serological methods
- Guideline for antigenic cartography
Past and future activities
- November 2022: Preliminary action plan for WG1 during 1st MC meeting
- January 2023: 1st online meeting (discussion of upcoming activities)
- April 2023: WG1 in-person-meeting at the scientific meeting in Barcelona, Spain
- June-December 2023: circulation of a questionnaire for SOPs (SOP collection and comparison: https://forms.gle/PGh4aqTaNR2qR61Y6)
- September 2023: organisaition of a training School on “Monitoring, identification and characterisation of swine influenza A virus” at Royal GD in Deventer, Netherlands
(For further info, please click here: https://swineflu.eu/training-schools/ )
- September-October 2023: STSM for 2 beneficaries on “swine influenza diagnostics” at Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, Parma, Italy
- April 2024: Meeting for comparing the variety of SOPs on swine flu digagnostics at Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna in Brescia, Italy
- 2024 (upcoming): 5 STSMs (announcement started) on swine flu diagnostic, comparison of SOPs for identification and characterization of swine Influenza A Viruses, implementation and use of antigenic cartography for characterization of swine influenza A viruses
- 2024 (upcoming): 2nd Training School planned
- 2024 (upcoming): Webinar series planned
Current number of members
74 members
25 countries represented
Main expert profiles
WG1 includes experts in virology, epidemiology and bioinformatics.
WG1 News

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