Improving laboratory-based surveillance of infectious diseases in the Netherlands

Abstract

In the Netherlands, there are special laboratories that test whether people have an infectious disease. The analysis of how many people become ill and by which variant of a virus or bacterium is known as laboratory-based surveillance of infectious diseases. RIVM performs this analysis in cooperation with these ‘medical-microbiological laboratories’ and with the Municipal Public Health Services.

During the coronavirus pandemic, it became increasingly clear that laboratories, including those of RIVM, must be able to test for infectious diseases on a large scale. They must also be able to see which variants of a pathogen are involved, such as the Delta and Omicron variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In addition, it must be possible to exchange laboratory data with RIVM safely and efficiently, so that RIVM can monitor how a pandemic is progressing in the Netherlands. For infectious diseases other than COVID-19, it is equally important that RIVM is able to monitor how they are evolving through laboratory tests.

Currently, different technical systems are used for different diseases. Some of these systems are outdated. To better cope with a possible new epidemic, RIVM will set up a new technical platform for laboratory-based surveillance. This means that the surveillance of various infectious diseases can be technically supported in the same way, both during data storage and data analysis. This will also make it possible to exchange data in the same way, which is more efficient and clearer for all laboratories concerned. Furthermore, the platform will be better able to process large amounts of test results and make it easy to store and analyse data about new pathogens.

In preparation for this improvement, RIVM has described the legal context for the exchange of data, such as data privacy legislation. It has also described the first full version of the technical specifications and functionalities that the platform must meet.

RIVM will develop and refine the most important components of the platform as from 2023. In order to develop the platform as carefully as possible, its individual components will be tackled one by one. This way, RIVM can learn from each experience. This approach will be beneficial for both the quality and cost of the ultimate platform.