Virology Journal (Feb 2024)
Nationwide quality assurance of high-throughput diagnostic molecular testing during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: role of the Belgian National Reference Centre
- Reile Janssen,
- Lize Cuypers,
- Lies Laenen,
- Els Keyaerts,
- Kurt Beuselinck,
- Sunita Janssenswillen,
- Bram Slechten,
- Jannes Bode,
- Elke Wollants,
- Kristel Van Laethem,
- Annabel Rector,
- Mandy Bloemen,
- Anke Sijmons,
- Nathalie de Schaetzen,
- Arnaud Capron,
- Kurt Van Baelen,
- Thierry Pascal,
- Céline Vermeiren,
- Fabrice Bureau,
- Jo Vandesompele,
- Pieter De Smet,
- Wouter Uten,
- Hugues Malonne,
- Pierre Kerkhofs,
- Jo De Cock,
- Veerle Matheeussen,
- Bruno Verhasselt,
- Laurent Gillet,
- Gautier Detry,
- Bertrand Bearzatto,
- Jonathan Degosserie,
- Coralie Henin,
- Gregor Pairoux,
- COVID-19 Genomics Belgium Consortium,
- Piet Maes,
- Marc Van Ranst,
- Katrien Lagrou,
- Elisabeth Dequeker,
- Emmanuel André
Affiliations
- Reile Janssen
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Lize Cuypers
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Lies Laenen
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Els Keyaerts
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Kurt Beuselinck
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Sunita Janssenswillen
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Bram Slechten
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Jannes Bode
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Elke Wollants
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven
- Kristel Van Laethem
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven
- Annabel Rector
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven
- Mandy Bloemen
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven
- Anke Sijmons
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Nathalie de Schaetzen
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Arnaud Capron
- Quality of Laboratories Unit, Scientific Directorate of Biological Health Risks, Sciensano
- Kurt Van Baelen
- Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V
- Thierry Pascal
- GSK Vaccines
- Céline Vermeiren
- UCB Pharma
- Fabrice Bureau
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, GIGA Institute, University of Liège
- Jo Vandesompele
- Biogazelle, a CellCarta Company
- Pieter De Smet
- CliniSys|MIPS
- Wouter Uten
- UgenTec N.V
- Hugues Malonne
- Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAGG-AFMPS)
- Pierre Kerkhofs
- Federal Public Service Public Health, Safety of the Food Chain and the Environment
- Jo De Cock
- National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV/INAMI)
- Veerle Matheeussen
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, University Hospitals Antwerp
- Bruno Verhasselt
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital
- Laurent Gillet
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, University of Liège
- Gautier Detry
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Laboratory of Clinical Biology, Pole Hospitalier Jolimont
- Bertrand Bearzatto
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Centre Des Technologies Moléculaires Appliquées (CTMA), Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc and Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)
- Jonathan Degosserie
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Department of Laboratory Medicine, CHU UCL Namur
- Coralie Henin
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Université Libre de Bruxelles
- Gregor Pairoux
- Quality of Laboratories Unit, Scientific Directorate of Biological Health Risks, Sciensano
- COVID-19 Genomics Belgium Consortium
- Piet Maes
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven
- Marc Van Ranst
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Katrien Lagrou
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Elisabeth Dequeker
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- Emmanuel André
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-024-02308-y
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 21,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 17
Abstract
Abstract Since the onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Belgium, UZ/KU Leuven has played a crucial role as the National Reference Centre (NRC) for respiratory pathogens, to be the first Belgian laboratory to develop and implement laboratory developed diagnostic assays for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and later to assess the quality of commercial kits. To meet the growing demand for decentralised testing, both clinical laboratories and government-supported high-throughput platforms were gradually deployed across Belgium. Consequently, the role of the NRC transitioned from a specialised testing laboratory to strengthening capacity and coordinating quality assurance. Here, we outline the measures taken by the NRC, the national public health institute Sciensano and the executing clinical laboratories to ensure effective quality management of molecular testing throughout the initial two years of the pandemic (March 2020 to March 2022).
Keywords
