European Union Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis: an useful tool towards harmonization of protocols
Poster presented in 34th Annual Congress of the European Society of Mycobacteriology
July 1st, 2013
Romero B., Bezos J., Casal C., Alvarez J., Lozano F., Moya N. and de Juan L.
In 2008 the European Union Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis (VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Madrid, Spain) was designated with the main activities (Commission Regulation 737/2008) of 1) Coordinating the methods employed in the Member States for diagnosing diseases; 2) Assisting actively in the diagnosis of disease outbreaks in Member States; 3) Facilitating the initial or further training of experts in laboratory diagnosis with a view to the harmonization of diagnostic; 4) Collaborating with the competent laboratories in third countries where those diseases are prevalent; and 5) Conducting initial and further training courses for the benefit of staff from national reference laboratories and of experts from developing countries. Taking these specific responsibilities and tasks in mind the EU-RL has designed an online database within its website (www.bovinetuberculosis.eu) that allows all the National Reference Laboratories to consult the protocols used in other Member States in order to facilitate harmonization of techniques throughout the Community, in particular specifying standard test methodologies. The Bovine Tuberculosis Protocols Database compile all the information submitted from all the NRLs to define the state of the art of the different
methodologies (culture, extraction & identification, molecular characterization and interferon gamma detection) used all over Europe. This information is evaluated by the EU-RL and different activities are performed (proficiency tests, evaluation of culture media, determination of analytical sensitivity, etc.) towards harmonization of protocols. Moreover, among other activities, the EU-RL gives technical and laboratory support to all NRLs and send reference reactives upon request (control strains, DNA, DvR-spoligotyping membranes, etc.)
 | Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Servicio de Micobacterias (MYC). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
Link to 34th Annual Congress of the European Society of Mycobacteriology
