Head: MUDr. Jana Kozáková
Contact:
724 810 126
jana.kozakova@szu.cz
Secretariat:
267 082 978
267 082 250
cem@szu.cz
The Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology (CEM) consists of nine departments/units, Expert Group for Proficiency Testing, Unit 2 (with a coordinating role), National Reference Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections and Bacterial Genetics Laboratory. CEM has National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) covering a wide range of infectious diseases (A – Z infections) and pathogens. They are dedicated to specialised diagnostics, methodological guidance on microbiological issues and training of specialists in medical microbiology. The individual departments and namely Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology are involved in the monitoring and analysis of infectious diseases, provide services for the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic and closely collaborate with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and World Health Organization (WHO).
Centre structure
Expert Group for Proficiency Testing, Unit 2
Units directly reporting to the Head of the Centre:
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology Department of Airborne Bacterial Diseases Department of Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria and Culture Collection Department of Staphylococcal and Alimentary Bacterial Infections Department of Respiratory, Intestinal and Exanthematic Viral Infections Department of Sexually Transmitted Infections – STI Department of Zoonoses with Natural Outbreaks Department of Disinfection, Disinsection and Rodent Control Department for the Preparation of Culture Media and Laboratory Glassware Cleaning National Reference Laboratory for Haemophilus Infections National Reference Laboratory for HIV/AIDS National reference centre for healthcare associated infections (NRC-HAI) Department of Air-Borne Bacterial Infections Department of Staphylococcal and Food-waterborne Bacterial Infections National Reference Laboratory for enteroviruses
Description of the center's activities
Activities of the National Reference Laboratories in CEM are laid down in the following regulations:
Act No.258/2000 Coll., on public health protection and on amendments to some related acts, as last amended,
Document of ECDC on activities of NRL of EU member countries “Core functions of microbiology reference laboratories for communicable diseases”.
CEM is involved in surveillance programs (Regulation No. 473/2008), collaborates with European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), i.g. in data reporting to ECDC (TESSy), and participates in editing the Bulletin of the Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology (ISSN 1804-8668).
CEM NRLs are involved in both national and international research projects. The results are presented in a wide range of publications.
The CEM NRLs have been accredited by the Czech Accreditation Institute since 2001. Currently some laboratories are accredited to the standard ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17025 as the test laboratory (No. 1206.4) and another laboratory to the standard ČSN EN ISO 15189 as the medical laboratory (No. 8002).
The CEM Accreditation Unit organizes the External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) for microbiology laboratories in the Czech Republic (and in other countries).