Ovine epididymitis (Brucella ovis) has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of ovine epididymitis to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of ovine epididymitis according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to ovine epididymitis. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported.

The infection with Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis and Brucella suis has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of the infection with B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of the infection with B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to the infection with B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported.

♦ 23 November 2017 ♦ Seventy-two out of the eighty-one participating laboratories successfully passed the 2017 rabies serology inter-laboratory test. Congratulation to all of them! As usual, a link to a satisfaction questionnaire has been sent to the participating laboratories for quality assurance matters. The list of the laboratories authorised to carry out the serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of the anti-rabies vaccination is available at the bottom of the “Approved rabies serology laboratories” page of the ec.europa.eu website: https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/approved-labs_en.  

♦ 18 October 2017 ♦ [Relayed from www.who.int] “On 18 October 2017, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization approved all of the recommendations proposed by the SAGE working group on rabies, as an update to the current WHO position paper on rabies immunization based on new evidence and experience in programme implementation. SAGE guides progress on global strategies and policies regarding vaccine-preventable diseases. A SAGE rabies working group was established in July 2016 to review new evidence that would merit updating of the 2010 WHO position paper on rabies vaccines. The working group conducted systematic reviews of published and unpublished literature, and assembled data and programme experience from countries to review options for pre-exposure and post-exposure immunization". […] (Read full article on www.who.int…)  

♦ 25-26 September 2017 ♦ [Relayed from www.rr-africa.oie.int] On September 25 and 26, 2017, the OIE Sub-Regional Representation for North Africa organised a “Workshop on the Rabies National Control Programme of the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture: feedback from the field, state of play and ways of improvement", held in Tunis, Tunisia, in collaboration with the Tunisian Veterinary Services (Directorate-General of Veterinary Services). The workshop, funded by the European Union, represented by the European Commission and the European Parliament, as part of the project to Strengthen Veterinary Services in Developing Countries (SVSDC), was aimed at the decentralised offices of the Ministry of Agriculture involved in the fight against rabies. […] (Read full article on rr-africa.oie.int…)  

♦ 02 October 2017 ♦ Further to the call for registration for the inter-laboratory test for tetracycline determination 2017, 13 NRLs volunteered to perform the test. The samples were sent to participants on 2 October 2017 under dry ice. Each panel is composed of several positive or negative red fox jaws for tetracycline, an acknowledgment form and a result form. The acknowledgement and result forms are expected back to the EURL by 30 October 2017 at the latest. As usual, a technical questionnaire related to the technique used has to be online answered.  

♦ 28 September 2017 ♦ The 9th workshop for rabies was held on 13 and 14 June 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. The annual rabies European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) meeting gathered a total of 89 participants, among them 38 from the European Union Member States (EUMS), 11 from European Union bordering countries supported by TAIEX and 30 from other laboratories from all over the world. The report of this meeting has been sent on 28 September to all participants and is now available online, as well as the presentations, in the private part of the website (for NRL members only).  

EFSA has organised a meeting with its stakeholders to gather feedback on the draft scientific opinion “Listeria monocytogenes contamination of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and the risk for human health in the EU”. Speakers’ presentations had covered: The potential health effects associated with L. monocytogenes and the relation between doses and illness in different risk groups; The exposure to L. monocytogenes by consumption of RTE foods; and The trends of human listeriosis cases in the EU with potential explanatory factors. Reminder: The draft scientific opinion for public consultation until 29 September 2017.

♦ 28 September 2017 ♦ Do not forget: Word Rabies Day on 28 September! https://rabiesalliance.org/world-rabies-day  

♦ 12 September 2017 ♦ The report of the 2017 session has been sent to all participants this week. The content also includes the answers to the technical questionnaire and a reminder of the EURL recommendations. This year, FAT, RTCIT and RT-PCR techniques were evaluated. Additionaly, an evaluation was done on the “overall assessment” of the laboratories. As done last year, two random samples were included to avoid collusion. These samples have not been taken into account in the evaluation process. Global evaluation shows again a good performance level. Participant laboratories will receive an online satisfaction survey regarding the test send directly from our quality department, as well as the usual attestation with summary of performances. The report is published on the EURL website for private members only.