♦ 15 December 2016 ♦ This end of year the GARC has the opportunity to distribute free of charge “Want a Friend, Be a Friend”, a 14-page booklet chock full of fun activities that will help children learn how to behave safely around dogs. They are currently raising money for the booklet printing and you can help with this challenging opportunity. Please click here to see the video animation. Donation in a choice of currencies and track of the campaign's progress can be done here. Do not hesitate in sharing this news, it will help the campaign reach further.  

♦ 09 November 2016 ♦ Next annual workshop for rabies will be held in Spain on 13 and 14 June 2017 over 2 half days. You can already save the date for this exceptional rabies event!  Invited scientists from the EURL for rabies network will soon receive details of the meeting and the link to the online registration form. It will be also possible for interested scientists to attend the rabies serology meeting that will just follow the workshop for rabies. More details will be sent to participants by the end of the year.  

♦ 09 November 2016 ♦ Next rabies serology meeting will be held in Spain on 14 and 15 June 2017. If you are part of the rabies serology network, you can already save the date for this exceptional rabies event!      

♦ 08 November 2016 ♦ Further to the last inter laboratory test for rabies diagnosis, attestation are being sent to each participant laboratory. Please, if not received yet, watch for the post! This document is the official conclusion regarding your laboratory performance and has to be kept for further use such as your quality assurance, etc. Details of your performances in each method are mentioned in this document, as well as the overall evaluation conclusion for FAT and RTCIT techniques.  

♦ 05 November 2016 ♦ The European Commission website has recently been updated. Please find hereafter some links to the new pages that you may have to use in your work: EU Legislation on pet movements, Notification System, Reference Laboratories, Approved Laboratories (EU and non-EU countries), links to the Member States' websites, list of Travellers' Points of Entry per country, Animals homepage.  

♦ 02 November 2016 ♦   Romanian National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health National Reference Laboratory for Rabies   IDAH Bucharest information    Str. Dr. Staicovici nr. 63, sector 5, cod 050557,    Bucureşti, România    Tel: 0374.322.013 / 0374.322.000    Fax: 0214.113.394    E-mail: office@idah.ro IDAH Director : Florica BARBUCEANU PhD Associate Professor - E-mail: office@idah.ro The Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health (IDAH) is a unit with juridical personality and operates as public institution of national interest, subordinated to Romanian National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety National Authority. METHODS Fluorescent Antibody Test (FAT) Rabies Tissue Culture Infective Test (RTCIT) Mouse Inoculation Test (MIT) Molecular technicque (RT-PCR) Sequencing Fluorescence virus neutralization test (FAVN) OTC determination ELISA for detection of rabies virus antibodies in serum samples after oral vaccination of foxes ACCREDITATION All methods are accredited according to ISO 17025. In addition to this standard, since 2015 we are also accredited to ISO 17043 as organizers and providers of proficiency test.     RESPONSABILITIES Performs laboratory tests for rabies diagnosis, for monitoring of the efficacy of the ORV and for serology for  the non-commercial movement of pet animals Participation in proficiency testing organized by the Community Reference Laboratory Organize of annually proficiency tests for 40 county veterinary laboratories Controls the diagnostic value of reagents and diagnostic kits Characterization of the viral strains and genetic typing of viral strains for molecular epidemiology Developing and improving of diagnostic manual Coordination of the diagnostic methodology and trainings for persons from county laboratories Collaboration with the Community Reference Laboratory Collaboration with other national reference laboratories Provides technical advice to veterinary authorities/institutions Keeps the viral isolates Participates in drafting of legislation Participating in the drafting of surveillance programs CONTACT    Vlad VUTA: vuta.vlad@idah.ro    Website: www.idah.ro   Printable version

The Euroreference magazine is now available in a new formula, produced jointly by a group of agencies from several Member States of the European Union. Euroreference is a European journal created by ANSES in 2009. It deals specifically with reference activities in the areas of animal health, plant health, and food and drinking water safety. Its new formula is based on an editorial committee of 15 European partners, making the new Euroreference a collective publication devoted to better dissemination of knowledge at the European and international scales. It offers scientific and technical articles of interest to health protection laboratories and agencies involved in reference activities in Europe. Euroreference is thus designed to help enhance efficiency in European reference activities. For further details, see  https://www.anses.fr/en/content/new-formula-euroreference-magazine

The WG met on 20th October (Anses, Maisons-Alfort, France)  to finalise the update of the guidance document.

♦ 16 september 2016 ♦ The report of the 2016 session has now been sent to all participants. The content also includes the answers to the technical questionnaire and a reminder of the EURL recommendations. This year, for the first time, an additional sample, different from one laboratory to another, was included in the panel test. This was to avoid collusion and has not been taken into account in the evaluation process. Global evaluation shows a good performance level and qPCR results have never been so performant. Participant laboratories will receive an online satisfaction survey within a fortnight. Thank you in advance for your answers. The report is only available for private members.  

♦ 01 september 2016 ♦ The 25th edition of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code edited by the OIE has been recently released. The OIE Terrestrial Code is a reference document for use by Veterinary Authorities, import/export services, epidemiologists and all those involved in international trade. As usual, it is composed of two volumes available on paper and an online version. The rabies chapter (Chapter 8.13.: Infection with rabies virus) is available following this link: http://www.oie.int/en/international-standard-setting/terrestrial-code/access-online/?htmfile=chapitre_rabies.htm