Upon establishment, PNAP was initially comprised of thirteen member countries (Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam) that contributed efforts to establish a regional surveillance network using bacterial typing data generated from PFGE. From 2004-2022, through annual meetings and work groups, PNAP made contributions to laboratory capacity building, training, quality assurance, protocol evaluation and improved communication within the region.
First PulseNet Asia Pacific Meeting, Hawaii, 2002
Second PulseNet Asia Pacific Meeting, Hong Kong
Third PulseNet Asia Pacific Meeting, Tokyo, Japan, 2005
Fourth PulseNet Asia Pacific Meeting, Nanjing, China, 2006
Fifth PulseNet Asia Pacific Meeting, Kolkata, India, 2008
Sixth PulseNet Asia Pacific Meeting, Bangkok, Thailand, 2009
Eighth PulseNet Asia Pacific Meeting, Shenzhen, China, 2012
Capacity Building
The Laboratory Resources and Support Work Group participated in capacity building efforts to ensure that participating laboratories had PFGE systems installed. They also ensured these systems had common software to enable harmonisation of data analysis and data management.
Training
Four PFGE workshops were held at the Public Health Laboratory Centre (PHLC) in Hong Kong from 2004-2007 and resulted in 35 scientists being trained. These trainings were coordinated by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), National Institute of Infectious Disease (NIID) and PHLC. Training included hands-on work for PFGE, data analysis, data management and software training.
Quality Assurance
The Platform for Interlaboratory Comparison Work Group worked towards data harmonisation and data sharing in the region. This group also established a quality assurance program. This involved PHLC distributing two freeze-dried ampoules of Salmonella strains to member labs who would then test them and send results back to PHLC. PHLC would provide a result back to the member lab which included comments on gel quality and suggestions for improvement.
PFGE Protocol Evaluation
PNAP laboratories collaborated with PulseNet USA to validate and evaluate a rapid one-day standardised PFGE protocol for Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Communication Enhancement
A web-based discussion forum, The PulseNet Asia Pacific WebBoard, was developed to improve communication between member labs.
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