Genomic surveillance of selected infectious diseases in the Czech Republic

The project aims to improve the capacity of National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) in the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) in Prague for genotypic characterization of a range of human pathogens (especially SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses, bacterial pathogens with cross-border threat potential, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria) with public health significance. The whole genome sequencing (WGS) is currently the state-of-the-art method for detailed characterization of microorganisms, as it provides a complete description of the genetic information of a given microorganism and its objective outputs allow immediate interlaboratory comparisons at the national and international levels. The aim of the project is to improve the availability of genomic surveillance of communicable diseases in order to identify and characterize specific determinants for the description and identification of clonal lineages with significant potential for their spread. The project responds to the need to ensure genomic surveillance within European structures (specifically the ECDC). Without the implementation of routine genomic surveillance, monitoring and addressing national and cross-border threats of infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance is not possible. This proposed project directly builds on the previous project that was granted under ECDC procedure Grant/2021/PHF/23776. This project builds on Grant number ECDC/HERA/2021/004.ECD.12218.