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1. A case report of pelvic inflammatory disease due to Streptococcus pneumoniae

Author

Momal Alexe, Lissoir Benedicte, and Sion Catherine

Subjects
Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pelvic inflammatory disease, Infectious and parasitic diseases, RC109-216
Abstract

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) refers to acute infection of the upper genital tract structures in women. Patients can suffer from endometritis to salpingitis. (Ross, 2020) PID is a polymicrobial infection initiated by a sexually transmitted agent in 85% of cases (Mora-Palma et al., 2019). Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium are commonly identified pathogens among sexually active females (Lis et al., 2015). Single-agent causes of PID are uncommon.Streptococcus pneumoniae frequently causes bacteremia, meningitis and pneumonia, but it rarely infects the genital tract as it is not part of the resident vaginal flora (Bartlett et al., 1977; Westh et al., 1990; Lemoyne et al., 2008).Known risk factors for PID include: age under 25 years, multiple sexual partners, non-utilization of barrier methods, previous history of PID, other sexually transmitted diseases or bacterial vaginosis, up to 3 months postinsertion of intrauterine device, invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in the uterus (Westh et al., 1990).Data from the Belgian National Reference Center for Pneumococci (CNRP) show that since 2006 only 10 Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated from the female genital sphere. 4 of them belong to serotype 1, 3 to serotype 3 and 1 to serotype 7, 8 and 9.Here we report a case S pneumoniae as a single bacterial etiology of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in a patient.

Published
2023
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2. Genomic monitoring of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants using sentinel SARI hospital surveillance

Author

Denayer, Sarah, primary, Dufrasne, François E., additional, Monsieurs, Bert, additional, van Eycken, Reinout, additional, Houben, Sarah, additional, Seyler, Lucie, additional, Demuyser, Thomas, additional, van Nedervelde, Els, additional, Bourgeois, Marc, additional, Delaere, Bénédicte, additional, Magerman, Koen, additional, Jouck, Door, additional, Lissoir, Bénédicte, additional, Sion, Catherine, additional, Reynders, Marijke, additional, Petit, Evelyn, additional, Dauby, Nicolas, additional, Hainaut, Marc, additional, Laenen, Lies, additional, Maes, Piet, additional, Baele, Guy, additional, Dellicour, Simon, additional, Cuypers, Lize, additional, André, Emmanuel, additional, Couvreur, Simon, additional, Brondeel, Ruben, additional, Barbezange, Cyril, additional, Bossuyt, Nathalie, additional, and van Gucht, Steven, additional

Published
2023
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3. Genomic monitoring of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants using sentinel SARI hospital surveillance

Author

Denayer, Sarah, Dufrasne, François E., Monsieurs, Bert, van Eycken, Reinout, Houben, Sarah, Seyler, Lucie, Demuyser, Thomas, van Nedervelde, Els, Bourgeois, Marc, Delaere, Bénédicte, Magerman, Koen, Jouck, Door, Lissoir, Bénédicte, Sion, Catherine, Reynders, Marijke, Petit, Evelyn, Dauby, Nicolas, Hainaut, Marc, Laenen, Lies, Maes, Piet, Baele, Guy, Dellicour, Simon, Cuypers, Lize, André, Emmanuel, Couvreur, Simon, Brondeel, Ruben, Barbezange, Cyril, Bossuyt, Nathalie, van Gucht, Steven, Denayer, Sarah, Dufrasne, François E., Monsieurs, Bert, van Eycken, Reinout, Houben, Sarah, Seyler, Lucie, Demuyser, Thomas, van Nedervelde, Els, Bourgeois, Marc, Delaere, Bénédicte, Magerman, Koen, Jouck, Door, Lissoir, Bénédicte, Sion, Catherine, Reynders, Marijke, Petit, Evelyn, Dauby, Nicolas, Hainaut, Marc, Laenen, Lies, Maes, Piet, Baele, Guy, Dellicour, Simon, Cuypers, Lize, André, Emmanuel, Couvreur, Simon, Brondeel, Ruben, Barbezange, Cyril, Bossuyt, Nathalie, and van Gucht, Steven

Abstract

Background To support the COVID‐19 pandemic response, many countries, including Belgium, implemented baseline genomic surveillance (BGS) programs aiming to early detect and characterize new SARS‐CoV‐2 variants. In parallel, Belgium maintained a sentinel network of six hospitals that samples patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and integrated SARS‐CoV‐2 detection within a broader range of respiratory pathogens. We evaluate the ability of the SARI surveillance to monitor general trends and early signals of viral genetic evolution of SARS‐CoV‐2 and compare it with the BGS as a reference model. Methods Nine‐hundred twenty‐five SARS‐CoV‐2 positive samples from patients fulfilling the Belgian SARI definition between January 2020 and December 2022 were sequenced using the ARTIC Network amplicon tiling approach on a MinION platform. Weekly variant of concern (VOC) proportions and types were compared to those that were circulating between 2021 and 2022, using 96,251 sequences of the BGS. Results SARI surveillance allowed timely detection of the Omicron (BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5) and Delta (B.1.617.2) VOCs, with no to 2 weeks delay according to the start of their epidemic growth in the Belgian population. First detection of VOCs B.1.351 and P.1 took longer, but these remained minor in Belgium. Omicron BA.3 was never detected in SARI surveillance. Timeliness could not be evaluated for B.1.1.7, being already major at the start of the study period. Conclusions Genomic surveillance of SARS‐CoV‐2 using SARI sentinel surveillance has proven to accurately reflect VOCs detected in the population and provides a cost‐effective solution for long‐term genomic monitoring of circulating respiratory viruses., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Published
2023

4. Nationwide Harmonization Effort for Semi-Quantitative Reporting of SARS-CoV-2 PCR Test Results in Belgium

Author

Cuypers, Lize, primary, Bode, Jannes, additional, Beuselinck, Kurt, additional, Laenen, Lies, additional, Dewaele, Klaas, additional, Janssen, Reile, additional, Capron, Arnaud, additional, Lafort, Yves, additional, Paridaens, Henry, additional, Bearzatto, Bertrand, additional, Cauchie, Mathieu, additional, Huwart, Aline, additional, Degosserie, Jonathan, additional, Fagnart, Olivier, additional, Overmeire, Yarah, additional, Rouffiange, Arlette, additional, Vandecandelaere, Ilse, additional, Deffontaine, Marine, additional, Pilate, Thomas, additional, Yin, Nicolas, additional, Micalessi, Isabel, additional, Roisin, Sandrine, additional, Moons, Veronique, additional, Reynders, Marijke, additional, Steyaert, Sophia, additional, Henin, Coralie, additional, Lazarova, Elena, additional, Obbels, Dagmar, additional, Dufrasne, François E., additional, Pirenne, Hendri, additional, Schepers, Raf, additional, Collin, Anaëlle, additional, Verhasselt, Bruno, additional, Gillet, Laurent, additional, Jonckheere, Stijn, additional, Van Lint, Philippe, additional, Van den Poel, Bea, additional, Van der Beken, Yolien, additional, Stojkovic, Violeta, additional, Garrino, Maria-Grazia, additional, Segers, Hannah, additional, Vos, Kevin, additional, Godefroid, Maaike, additional, Pede, Valerie, additional, Nollet, Friedel, additional, Claes, Vincent, additional, Verschraegen, Inge, additional, Bogaerts, Pierre, additional, Van Gysel, Marjan, additional, Leurs, Judith, additional, Saegeman, Veroniek, additional, Soetens, Oriane, additional, Vanhee, Merijn, additional, Schiettekatte, Gilberte, additional, Huyghe, Evelyne, additional, Martens, Steven, additional, Lemmens, Ann, additional, Nailis, Heleen, additional, Laffineur, Kim, additional, Steensels, Deborah, additional, Vanlaere, Elke, additional, Gras, Jérémie, additional, Roussel, Gatien, additional, Gijbels, Koenraad, additional, Boudewijns, Michael, additional, Sion, Catherine, additional, Achtergael, Wim, additional, Maurissen, Wim, additional, Iliano, Luc, additional, Chantrenne, Marianne, additional, Vanheule, Geert, additional, Flies, Reinoud, additional, Hougardy, Nicolas, additional, Berth, Mario, additional, Verbeke, Vanessa, additional, Morent, Robin, additional, Vankeerberghen, Anne, additional, Bontems, Sébastien, additional, Kehoe, Kaat, additional, Schallier, Anneleen, additional, Ho, Giang, additional, Bafort, Kristof, additional, Raymaekers, Marijke, additional, Pypen, Yolande, additional, Heinrichs, Amelie, additional, Schuermans, Wim, additional, Cuigniez, Dominique, additional, Lali, Salah Eddine, additional, Drieghe, Stefanie, additional, Ory, Dieter, additional, Le Mercier, Marie, additional, Van Laethem, Kristel, additional, Thoelen, Inge, additional, Vandamme, Sarah, additional, Mansoor, Iqbal, additional, Vael, Carl, additional, De Sloovere, Maxime, additional, Declerck, Katrien, additional, Dequeker, Elisabeth, additional, Desmet, Stefanie, additional, Maes, Piet, additional, Lagrou, Katrien, additional, and André, Emmanuel, additional

Published
2022
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5. Nationwide Harmonization Effort for Semi-Quantitative Reporting of SARS-CoV-2 PCR Test Results in Belgium.

Author

UCL - (MGD) Laboratoire de biologie clinique, UCL - SSS/IREC/MONT - Pôle Mont Godinne, Cuypers, Lize, Bode, Jannes, Beuselinck, Kurt, Laenen, Lies, Dewaele, Klaas, Janssen, Reile, Capron, Arnaud, Lafort, Yves, Paridaens, Henry, Bearzatto, Bertrand, Cauchie, Mathieu, Huwart, Aline, Degosserie, Jonathan, Fagnart, Olivier, Overmeire, Yarah, Rouffiange, Arlette, Vandecandelaere, Ilse, Deffontaine, Marine, Pilate, Thomas, Yin, Nicolas, Micalessi, Isabel, Roisin, Sandrine, Moons, Veronique, Reynders, Marijke, Steyaert, Sophia, Henin, Coralie, Lazarova, Elena, Obbels, Dagmar, Dufrasne, François E, Pirenne, Hendri, Schepers, Raf, Collin, Anaëlle, Verhasselt, Bruno, Gillet, Laurent, Jonckheere, Stijn, Van Lint, Philippe, Van den Poel, Bea, Van der Beken, Yolien, Stojkovic, Violeta, Garrino, Maria-Grazia, Segers, Hannah, Vos, Kevin, Godefroid, Maaike, Pede, Valerie, Nollet, Friedel, Claes, Vincent, Verschraegen, Inge, Bogaerts, Pierre, Van Gysel, Marjan, Leurs, Judith, Saegeman, Veroniek, Soetens, Oriane, Vanhee, Merijn, Schiettekatte, Gilberte, Huyghe, Evelyne, Martens, Steven, Lemmens, Ann, Nailis, Heleen, Laffineur, Kim, Steensels, Deborah, Vanlaere, Elke, Gras, Jérémie, Roussel, Gatien, Gijbels, Koenraad, Boudewijns, Michael, Sion, Catherine, Achtergael, Wim, Maurissen, Wim, Iliano, Luc, Chantrenne, Marianne, Vanheule, Geert, Flies, Reinoud, Hougardy, Nicolas, Berth, Mario, Verbeke, Vanessa, Morent, Robin, Vankeerberghen, Anne, Bontems, Sébastien, Kehoe, Kaat, Schallier, Anneleen, Ho, Giang, Bafort, Kristof, Raymaekers, Marijke, Pypen, Yolande, Heinrichs, Amelie, Schuermans, Wim, Cuigniez, Dominique, Lali, Salah Eddine, Drieghe, Stefanie, Ory, Dieter, Le Mercier, Marie, Van Laethem, Kristel, Thoelen, Inge, Vandamme, Sarah, Mansoor, Iqbal, Vael, Carl, De Sloovere, Maxime, Declerck, Katrien, Dequeker, Elisabeth, Desmet, Stefanie, Maes, Piet, Lagrou, Katrien, André, Emmanuel, UCL - (MGD) Laboratoire de biologie clinique, UCL - SSS/IREC/MONT - Pôle Mont Godinne, Cuypers, Lize, Bode, Jannes, Beuselinck, Kurt, Laenen, Lies, Dewaele, Klaas, Janssen, Reile, Capron, Arnaud, Lafort, Yves, Paridaens, Henry, Bearzatto, Bertrand, Cauchie, Mathieu, Huwart, Aline, Degosserie, Jonathan, Fagnart, Olivier, Overmeire, Yarah, Rouffiange, Arlette, Vandecandelaere, Ilse, Deffontaine, Marine, Pilate, Thomas, Yin, Nicolas, Micalessi, Isabel, Roisin, Sandrine, Moons, Veronique, Reynders, Marijke, Steyaert, Sophia, Henin, Coralie, Lazarova, Elena, Obbels, Dagmar, Dufrasne, François E, Pirenne, Hendri, Schepers, Raf, Collin, Anaëlle, Verhasselt, Bruno, Gillet, Laurent, Jonckheere, Stijn, Van Lint, Philippe, Van den Poel, Bea, Van der Beken, Yolien, Stojkovic, Violeta, Garrino, Maria-Grazia, Segers, Hannah, Vos, Kevin, Godefroid, Maaike, Pede, Valerie, Nollet, Friedel, Claes, Vincent, Verschraegen, Inge, Bogaerts, Pierre, Van Gysel, Marjan, Leurs, Judith, Saegeman, Veroniek, Soetens, Oriane, Vanhee, Merijn, Schiettekatte, Gilberte, Huyghe, Evelyne, Martens, Steven, Lemmens, Ann, Nailis, Heleen, Laffineur, Kim, Steensels, Deborah, Vanlaere, Elke, Gras, Jérémie, Roussel, Gatien, Gijbels, Koenraad, Boudewijns, Michael, Sion, Catherine, Achtergael, Wim, Maurissen, Wim, Iliano, Luc, Chantrenne, Marianne, Vanheule, Geert, Flies, Reinoud, Hougardy, Nicolas, Berth, Mario, Verbeke, Vanessa, Morent, Robin, Vankeerberghen, Anne, Bontems, Sébastien, Kehoe, Kaat, Schallier, Anneleen, Ho, Giang, Bafort, Kristof, Raymaekers, Marijke, Pypen, Yolande, Heinrichs, Amelie, Schuermans, Wim, Cuigniez, Dominique, Lali, Salah Eddine, Drieghe, Stefanie, Ory, Dieter, Le Mercier, Marie, Van Laethem, Kristel, Thoelen, Inge, Vandamme, Sarah, Mansoor, Iqbal, Vael, Carl, De Sloovere, Maxime, Declerck, Katrien, Dequeker, Elisabeth, Desmet, Stefanie, Maes, Piet, Lagrou, Katrien, and André, Emmanuel

Abstract

From early 2020, a high demand for SARS-CoV-2 tests was driven by several testing indications, including asymptomatic cases, resulting in the massive roll-out of PCR assays to combat the pandemic. Considering the dynamic of viral shedding during the course of infection, the demand to report cycle threshold (Ct) values rapidly emerged. As Ct values can be affected by a number of factors, we considered that harmonization of semi-quantitative PCR results across laboratories would avoid potential divergent interpretations, particularly in the absence of clinical or serological information. A proposal to harmonize reporting of test results was drafted by the National Reference Centre (NRC) UZ/KU Leuven, distinguishing four categories of positivity based on RNA copies/mL. Pre-quantified control material was shipped to 124 laboratories with instructions to setup a standard curve to define thresholds per assay. For each assay, the mean Ct value and corresponding standard deviation was calculated per target gene, for the three concentrations (10, 10 and 10 copies/mL) that determine the classification. The results of 17 assays are summarized. This harmonization effort allowed to ensure that all Belgian laboratories would report positive PCR results in the same semi-quantitative manner to clinicians and to the national database which feeds contact tracing interventions.

Published
2022

7. Implications de la dynamique des compartiments lipidiques dans la croissance cellulaire

Author

Szczepaniak-Sion, Catherine, UL, Thèses, Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL), Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine, and Mireille Donner

Subjects
Cellules -- Cultures et milieux de culture, [CHIM.OTHE] Chemical Sciences/Other, Dynamique moléculaire, Antigènes de surface, Cell culture, Cell cycle, Molecular dynamics, [CHIM.OTHE]Chemical Sciences/Other, Multiplication cellulaire, Couche biomoléculaire, Membranes lipidiques bimoléculaires, Culture cellulaire
Abstract

Not available, aL'étude des propriétés dynamiques de la bicouche lipidique représente un paramètre très important, étant donné l'assimilation de la surface membranaire au premier site de contrôle de la croissance cellulaire et donc du cycle cellulaire, de la différenciation ou de la transformation. Dans cet objectif, un inhibiteur de fluorescence, la bixinoylglucosamine, a été synthétise. Il résulte d'un couplage chimique entre d'une part, la bixine qui possède les propriétés spectrales requises pour recouvrir le spectre d'émission des sondes utilisées (le DPH et le TMA-DPH), d'autre part la glucosamine qui empêche la pénétration de la molécule dans le cytoplasme. L'association de la technique d'inhibition de fluorescence par cette molécule, a la polarisation de fluorescence nous a permis de rendre compte des modifications de la cohésion des différents compartiments lipidiques cellulaires en fonction des différentes étapes de la culture d'une souche d'hybridomes. Les relations entre les propriétés dynamiques de la surface cellulaire et le cycle cellulaire ont ensuite été approfondies. Étant donné l'hétérogénéité une population cellulaire qui ne permet pas de suivre une évolution synchrone des cellules a travers les différentes phases du cycle, il est nécessaire de bloquer les cellules dans une phase précise. Deux inhibiteurs ont été utilisés, l'aphidico-colline et le MTC qui bloquent respectivement les phases s et g2/m. Les relations entre les propriétés dynamiques des compartiments membranaires et intracytoplasmiques de la cellule et les phases du cycle ont pu ainsi être réalisées

Published
1994

9. Nationwide Harmonization Effort for Semi-Quantitative Reporting of SARS-CoV-2 PCR Test Results in Belgium

Author

Lize Cuypers, Jannes Bode, Kurt Beuselinck, Lies Laenen, Klaas Dewaele, Reile Janssen, Arnaud Capron, Yves Lafort, Henry Paridaens, Bertrand Bearzatto, Mathieu Cauchie, Aline Huwart, Jonathan Degosserie, Olivier Fagnart, Yarah Overmeire, Arlette Rouffiange, Ilse Vandecandelaere, Marine Deffontaine, Thomas Pilate, Nicolas Yin, Isabel Micalessi, Sandrine Roisin, Veronique Moons, Marijke Reynders, Sophia Steyaert, Coralie Henin, Elena Lazarova, Dagmar Obbels, François E. Dufrasne, Hendri Pirenne, Raf Schepers, Anaëlle Collin, Bruno Verhasselt, Laurent Gillet, Stijn Jonckheere, Philippe Van Lint, Bea Van den Poel, Yolien Van der Beken, Violeta Stojkovic, Maria-Grazia Garrino, Hannah Segers, Kevin Vos, Maaike Godefroid, Valerie Pede, Friedel Nollet, Vincent Claes, Inge Verschraegen, Pierre Bogaerts, Marjan Van Gysel, Judith Leurs, Veroniek Saegeman, Oriane Soetens, Merijn Vanhee, Gilberte Schiettekatte, Evelyne Huyghe, Steven Martens, Ann Lemmens, Heleen Nailis, Kim Laffineur, Deborah Steensels, Elke Vanlaere, Jérémie Gras, Gatien Roussel, Koenraad Gijbels, Michael Boudewijns, Catherine Sion, Wim Achtergael, Wim Maurissen, Luc Iliano, Marianne Chantrenne, Geert Vanheule, Reinoud Flies, Nicolas Hougardy, Mario Berth, Vanessa Verbeke, Robin Morent, Anne Vankeerberghen, Sébastien Bontems, Kaat Kehoe, Anneleen Schallier, Giang Ho, Kristof Bafort, Marijke Raymaekers, Yolande Pypen, Amelie Heinrichs, Wim Schuermans, Dominique Cuigniez, Salah Eddine Lali, Stefanie Drieghe, Dieter Ory, Marie Le Mercier, Kristel Van Laethem, Inge Thoelen, Sarah Vandamme, Iqbal Mansoor, Carl Vael, Maxime De Sloovere, Katrien Declerck, Elisabeth Dequeker, Stefanie Desmet, Piet Maes, Katrien Lagrou, Emmanuel André, Dufrasne, Francois/0000-0001-6288-7936, Yin, Nicolas/0000-0003-1706-6869, Van Laethem, Kristel/0000-0001-6036-2271, Micalessi, Isabel, Ory , Dieter, Dequeker, Elisabeth, CLAES , Vincent, Verhasselt, Bruno, Moons, Veronique, Soetens, Oriane, Godefroid, Maaike, Verschraegen, Inge, Pirenne, Hendri, Gillet, Laurent, Heinrichs, Amelie, Huwart, Aline, Vanhee, Merijn, Vandamme, Sarah, Maurissen, Wim, Laenen , Lies, Reynders , Marijke, Thoelen, Inge, Gras, Jeremie, Berth, Mario, Obbels, Dagmar, Vanheule, Geert, Maes, Piet, Bafort, Kristof, Flies, Reinoud, Janssen, Reile, van den Poel, Bea, Bontems, Sebastien, Schepers , Raf, Overmeire, Yarah, Boudewijns, Michael, van der Beken, Yolien, Cuypers , Lize, Bode, Jannes, Vos, Kevin, Paridaens, Henry, Achtergael, Wim, Saegeman, Veroniek, Rouffiange, Arlette, Dewaele, Klaas, Pypen, Yolande, Yin, Nicolas, Drieghe, Stefanie, Nailis, Heleen, Kehoe, Kaat, DE SMET, Stefanie, Verbeke, Vanessa, Vanlaere, Elke, Vael, Carl, Van Laethem, Kristel, Segers, Hannah, Pede, Valerie, Deffontaine, Marine, Martens , Steven, Lemmens, Ann, Vankeerberghen, Anne, Lagrou, Katrien, Iliano, Luc, Chantrenne, Marianne, Laffineur, Kim, Bearzatto, Bertrand, Vandecandelaere, Ilse, Sion, Catherine, Andre, Emmanuel, Cuigniez, Dominique, Pilate, Thomas, Capron, Arnaud, Nollet, Friedel, Roisin, Sandrine, Gijbels, Koenraad, Van Lint, Philippe, Bogaerts, Pierre, Lafort, Yves, Henin, Coralie, Van Gysel, Marjan, Huyghe, Evelyne, Lali, Salah Eddine, Roussel, Gatien, Garrino, Maria-Grazia, Schuermans, Wim, Steyaert, Sophia, Le Mercier, Marie, De Sloovere, Maxime, Leurs, Judith, STEENSELS, Deborah, Declerck, Katrien, Dufrasne, Francois E., Fagnart, Olivier, Ho, Giang, Lazarova, Elena, Schallier, Anneleen, Beuselinck, Kurt, Morent, Robin, Hougardy, Nicolas, Raymaekers, Marijke, Jonckheere, Stijn, Stojkovic, Violeta, Degosserie, Jonathan, Cauchie, Mathieu, Schiettekatte, Gilberte, Collin, Anaelle, Mansoor, Iqbal, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Supporting clinical sciences, Microbiology and Infection Control, Clinical Biology, Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, UCL - (MGD) Laboratoire de biologie clinique, and UCL - SSS/IREC/MONT - Pôle Mont Godinne

Subjects
SARS-CoV-2, PCR, semi-quantitative reporting, RNA copies/mL, infectivity, COVID-19/diagnosis, COVID-19, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, mL, Infectious Diseases, Belgium, SARS-CoV-2/genetics, Virology, Humans, RNA copies, Human medicine, Belgium/epidemiology, Pandemics
Abstract

From early 2020, a high demand for SARS-CoV-2 tests was driven by several testing indications, including asymptomatic cases, resulting in the massive roll-out of PCR assays to combat the pandemic. Considering the dynamic of viral shedding during the course of infection, the demand to report cycle threshold (Ct) values rapidly emerged. As Ct values can be affected by a number of factors, we considered that harmonization of semi-quantitative PCR results across laboratories would avoid potential divergent interpretations, particularly in the absence of clinical or serological information. A proposal to harmonize reporting of test results was drafted by the National Reference Centre (NRC) UZ/KU Leuven, distinguishing four categories of positivity based on RNA copies/mL. Pre-quantified control material was shipped to 124 laboratories with instructions to setup a standard curve to define thresholds per assay. For each assay, the mean Ct value and corresponding standard deviation was calculated per target gene, for the three concentrations (10(7), 10(5) and 10(3) copies/mL) that determine the classification. The results of 17 assays are summarized. This harmonization effort allowed to ensure that all Belgian laboratories would report positive PCR results in the same semi-quantitative manner to clinicians and to the national database which feeds contact tracing interventions. UZ/KU Leuven: as National Reference Center for Respiratory Pathogens, is supported by Sciensano, which is gratefully acknowledged. We would like to acknowledge additional staff members of the participating laboratories that contributed to this study: Jean-Luc Gala, Benoit Kabamba, Elsa Wiam, Valentin Coste, Paul Blanpain, Jean Ruelle, Ari Serbetciyan, Nicolas Pinte, Ophélie Simon and the entire UCLouvain federal testing platform COVID-19 team (all affiliation 4), Aurore Demars (affiliation 7), Laura Vanden Daele (affiliation 9), Hanne Valgaeren (affiliation 22), Guillaume Bayon-Vicente (affiliation 23), Fabrice Bureau, Claire Gourzonès and Joey Schyns (affiliation 28), Stéphanie Evrard (affiliation 42), Clara Ceyssens (affiliation 58), Jorn Hellemans (affiliation 77), Bram Slechten (affiliation 86) and the entire team of the laboratory of microbiology of UZA (affiliation 89) and of the UZA Federal testing platform COVID-19 (affiliation 85) for their boundless dedication.

Published
2022

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