Denmark gets key role in EU’s fight against bacteria

The EU has designated a new reference laboratory focusing on pathogenic bacteria that can infect humans through food and water, transcending borders. The State Serum Institute (SSI) of Denmark will spearhead the work, aiming to harmonize efforts in EU laboratories, improve quality of analyses, and track sources of infection. The efforts, with cooperation from Dutch and Italian authorities, are part of a broader initiative to bolster Europe’s capacity to handle cross-border health threats. Eva Møller Nielsen of SSI expressed pride in their selection by the EU, mentioning the progress in developing laboratory methods to detect and prevent foodborne infections. The laboratory will operate closely with ECDC and the EU Commission to combat diseases like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli, which have caused serious illnesses and international outbreaks, such as a recent salmonella outbreak traced to a salad from Italy.