NICD Participants

The GERMS-SA network is coordinated centrally by the NICD “Core Group” whilst the enhanced surveillance site coordinators assist in the local coordination of the program.

NICD Core Group consists of the following Units:

1. National Microbiology Surveillance Unit (NMSU)
   The NMSU coordinates the GERMS-SA related activities of all the reference units within the surveillance network and manages the surveillance officers at the sentinel sites around the country
2. Enteric Diseases Reference Unit (EDRU)
   Monitor number of cases of Salmonella species, Shigella species, Vibrio species, Yersinia enterocolitica, Aeromonas and diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli isolated by participating laboratories and conduct additional laboratory phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of the organisms.
3. Mycology Reference Unit (MRU)
   Monitor number of invasive cases of cryptococcosis isolated by participating laboratories and conduct additional laboratory phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of the organisms.
4. Parasitology Reference Unit (PRU)
   Monitor number of cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia isolated by participating laboratories and conduct additional laboratory phenotypic and genotypic characterization of the organism.
5. Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogen Reference Unit (RMPRU)
   Monitor number of invasive cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza and Neisseria meningitidis isolated from normally sterile site specimens by participating laboratories and conduct additional laboratory phenotypic and genotypic characterization of the organisms.
6. Epidemiology Unit
   Provide epidemiologic and statistical support to the surveillance network and special studies conducted by GERMS-SA.

Coordination of the GERMS-SA programme (NMSU: National Microbiology Surveillance Unit, EDRU: Enteric Diseases Reference Unit, MRU: Mycology Reference Unit, PRU: Parasitology Reference Unit, RMPRU: Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Reference Unit, CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)