China polio laboratory network workshop to introduce the new algorithm for virus isolation, 2012
China organized the annual polio laboratory workshop to introduce the new virus isolation algorithm among 31 subnational provincial laboratories in China during 20-24 February 2012 in Kunming China. Around 80 participants including two or three participants from each province joined the workshop for four days to discuss the changes of reporting time and procedures and new requirements for the provincial laboratories. Presentations from WHO, China CDC China and provincial laboratories including Xinjiang province provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the changes of laboratory procedures and reporting requirements to introduce the new virus isolation algorithm as well as updates of global polio eradication activities and region's efforts to maintain polio-free status including China after the wild polio outbreak in Xinjiang. Xinjiang provincial laboratory and neighbouring high risk provincial laboratories presented the laboratory performance in 2011. China CDC's plan to implement the real time PCR for intratypic differentiation and vaccine derived poliovirus screening after the training workshop in March 2012 was also briefed. In-depth discussions on the procedures and timeline of testing and reporting after the introduction of the new virus isolation were held during the workshop. The biosafety awareness training using the WHO biosafety training modules translated into Chinese was held on the last day of the workshop.
