This joint meeting brought together microbiologists, epidemiologists and directors of public health laboratories from 13 Eastern Mediterranean countries with the objective to explore ways to improve and bring synergy of both network activities to better serve the food safety programmes in the Region. It included the assessment of current traditional and molecular laboratory methods for diagnosis and identification of foodborne pathogens; the assessment of current communication and coordination between epidemiologists and laboratory staff members in both networks; the development of joint country action plans for 2012 and 2013; the provision of hands on training on pulse field gel electrophoresis (BioNumerics) analysis and reporting for a national PulseNet database.
The overall objective of both PulseNet and the Global Foodborne Infections Network is to strengthen and enhance the capacity of national and regional laboratories in the surveillance of foodborne enteric pathogens isolated from humans, food and animals. This includes improving data flow, epidemiological assessment and investigation of foodborne disease outbreaks. The ultimate goal of both networks is to provide support to countries to fulfill their core capacities, especially in laboratory surveillance, interpretation and assessment to guide control and response.
