EU Labs Strengthen Rare Virus Detection Capacity
EU reference laboratories are helping member states assess and bolster their ability to detect rare viruses after recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Life Sciences
EU reference laboratories are helping member states check and strengthen their capacity to detect rare viruses. The support follows recent outbreaks of Ebola and hantavirus, and comes as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) marks European Laboratory Day on 5 November.
Why it matters
Laboratory capacity is central to Europe's preparedness for communicable disease threats, particularly for pathogens that are rare in the EU and therefore less familiar to local diagnostic teams. Strengthening detection ability before cases arrive helps shorten the time needed to identify and respond to an outbreak.
Two rare pathogens, Andes virus and Bundibugyo ebolavirus, were the focus of a rapid assessment of diagnostic capacity across EU member states. The available sources do not report quantitative results from that assessment.
The players
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
The EU agency responsible for surveillance and scientific advice on communicable diseases, which issued the European Laboratory Day statement.
EU Reference Laboratory for Public Health on Emerging, Rodent-borne, and Zoonotic Viral Pathogens
A specialist EU laboratory that provided support on viral pathogens transmitted from animals to humans, including hantavirus.
EU Reference Laboratory for Vector-Borne Viruses
A specialist EU laboratory that provided backing for the rare-virus detection effort.
The details
EU Reference Laboratories for Public Health supply reference diagnostics, reference materials, external quality assessments, and scientific and technical support to national laboratories. Support was provided by the EU Reference Laboratory for Public Health on Emerging, Rodent-borne, and Zoonotic Viral Pathogens and by the EU Reference Laboratory for Vector-Borne Viruses. In the Andes virus incident, the countries concerned received diagnostic support before the affected ship reached EU shores.
Timeline
2025: Reference laboratories began strengthening rare-virus diagnostic capacity.
5 November: European Laboratory Day, when ECDC issued its statement recognizing laboratory professionals.
Big Picture
The support extends the EU Reference Laboratories network, which supplies reference diagnostics, materials and external quality assessments to national laboratories. Applying that network to rare viruses like Andes virus and Bundibugyo ebolavirus builds on its role in preparing member states for threats they rarely encounter.
Stronger rare-virus detection in national laboratories can shorten the time between a suspected case and a confirmed diagnosis. Clinicians and public health staff across member states benefit from access to EU reference diagnostics and training when unfamiliar pathogens appear.
The takeaway
Preparedness for rare diseases depends on laboratories being able to recognize them quickly. Investment in diagnostic capacity before an outbreak is what allows a fast, accurate response when one occurs.
Further reading
Explore more Life Sciences coverage for context on how laboratory science supports disease detection.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Brusselstimes.
