Through Ebola epidemics in Zaire and Gabon over the past two years, we all became aware that dangerous infections could be imported to Europe in a very short time. Because of such emerging problems and due to the great number of viral pathogens it is necessary to establish a European network of collaboration in this field. The improvement of diagnostics of these "imported" and emerging virus infections is the most important step in detecting the pathogens and dealing with them. Therefore there should be a European collaboration in the area of diagnostics of these virus infections.
In fourteen meetings scientists from laboratories working in the field of diagnostics of "imported" viral diseases in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom have build up a network to improve the diagnostics of "imported" viral infections and have worked out objectives to be addressed in this collaboration:

For further development and the integration of other European members, the project needs European funding in order to establish the European network and to improve and standardise diagnostic techniques. This will offer an opportunity for technology transfer within the European community and result in a better and more efficient diagnostics in the individual countries. In the long run, this initiative offers a chance of increasing the awareness of responsible medical institutions in each country of the EU regarding the problem of emerging and re-emerging viral diseases. By creating these surveillance activities, we will be able to better recognise and respond to threatening emerging and re-emerging diseases in the future. In supporting this group of experts, it will be possible to initiate a co-ordinated international effort to deal with these problems. This offers the chance for future interventions and an effective and close co-operation with the WHO, and also for the future implementation of proposed activities.

We welcome this collaborative network and we are willing to participate in this "European Network for Imported Virus Diseases". We will support this initiative as much as we can and it would be a pleasure for us to be of assistance in this concerted action.

Updated: 08 August 06