National Centre for Reference of Influenza and Respiratory Viruses
Methodology:
- Weekly record of the morbidity data received from the 9 districts during the cool season beginning in October and ending in April of the next year. The data are systematized by group of ages in three codes namely: influenza (clinical), acute diseases of the superior respiratory tract and viral pneumonia;
- Reception of pathological products: nazo-pharyngeal secretions, necroptic pieces, blood samples obtained from epidemic outbreaks or single disease cases.
- Laboratory processing of the products by isolation procedures (embryonated hen eggs, cell cultures), by immunofluorescence technique and serological methods; identification of the isolated viral agents. The results are send toward the Health Ministry and the sanitary units where the products came from;
- Processing by Epi-Info program of the epidemic data and corroboration with the laboratory results. Records are drawn up and directed toward the National Health Ministry and toward WHO. Scientific works are elaborated with this materials and published in specialized periodics.
- Establishment of Scientific connections by FluNet with another National Centres having similar profile in our country and abroad, collaborators of the WHO.
- Transmission of the isolated strains of influenza viruses toward the International Centre of Influenza in London to be confirmed and deeply studied.
Work Team:
- Simona Ruta, MD, PhD, Professor, Senior researcher
- C.N. Zaharia, MS, PhD, Senior researcher
- Florica Toparceanu, MS, PhD, Senior researcher
- Ionica Bunea, Technical Assistant