The inauguration ceremony of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Diphtheria at the Public Health Institute for the State of Bavaria, Germany, is scheduled for May 16, 2024, in Munich, Germany. During this event, WHO/Europe will officially designate the Centre for Diphtheria at the Public Health Institute as a WHO collaborating centre. This designation signifies the Institute’s role as a global reference centre, contributing to the advancement of understanding, control, and prevention of diphtheria.
Being designated as a WHO collaborating centre marks the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership between WHO and the Institute. This partnership brings benefits such as access to unparalleled research and expertise, as well as increased visibility for both parties.
Dr. Mick Mulders from WHO headquarters and Dr. Mark Muscat from WHO/Europe will award the designation during the ceremony. The program will feature expert presentations on various topics related to diphtheria, including vaccines for prevention, global challenges posed by diphtheria, new insights into the disease, and specific perspectives from countries such as Austria, India, Japan, and South Africa.
The Centre for Diphtheria, housed within the Department of Health Microbiology of the Public Health Institute, serves as the German national reference laboratory for diphtheria and borreliosis. It conducts diagnosis for all notifiable infectious diseases in Bavaria and conducts whole genome-based molecular typing of isolates to understand the pathogen’s properties, including antibiotic resistance, molecular epidemiology, and virulence.
As part of its role in supporting WHO, the Centre will participate in the development of novel diagnostics and laboratory methods, including antibiotic sensitivity testing and diphtheria toxin detection. Together with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Diphtheria and Streptococcal Infections in the United Kingdom, the WHO Collaborating Centre on Diphtheria in Germany will contribute to WHO’s global efforts related to diphtheria.
