AFRIMS: Enterics: Laboratory Diagnosis for Diarrheal Diseases Surveillance Workshop

Department of Enteric Diseases, AFRIMS, held a workshop on “Laboratory Diagnosis for
Diarrheal Diseases Surveillance” on 20-21 August 2009

Department of Enteric Diseases, AFRIMS, held a workshop on “Laboratory Diagnosis for
Diarrheal Diseases Surveillance” on 20-21 August 2009 at Century Park Hotel, Bangkok.

The workshop aimed to enhance laboratory capability for the identification of enteric pathogens and to exchange experience and knowledge among the participants. This is part of the collaboration between the Department of
Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health and the Department of Enteric Diseases, AFRIMS, for ongoing
diarrheal diseases surveillance effort at multiple sites in Thailand. Participants were senior scientists from the Department of Medical Sciences, medical microbiologists and laboratory technicians from the Regional Medical
Science Centers and participating hospitals in Chiang Rai, Trang, Suratthani, Nakhonratchasima, Phitsanulok, Samutsongkram and Nakornsawan.

The workshop started with remarks from Dr. Carl Mason, Chief, Department of Enteric Diseases, AFRIMS. For the first day and a half, presentations were conducted by the scientists of the department on efficient methods for isolation of enteric bacteria, molecular typing of enteric bacteria and PCR detection of enteric viral pathogens. Dr. Orn-anong Ratchatrachenchai, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, had a presentation on Diarrheagenic E.coli and Pulse net. Topics on biosafety in the clinical laboratory were presented by Ms. Amorn Upakaew, Biosafety Officer, AFRIMS. The workshop also included site presentations of the surveillance data by site representatives with discussion led by Dr. Ladaporn Bodhidatta, Department of Enteric Diseases, AFRIMS, the principal investigator of the surveillance project. In the afternoon of the second day of the workshop, participants visited the Department of Enteric Diseases laboratory at AFRIMS for demonstrations of microbiology and molecular laboratory techniques to support diarrheal diseases surveillance.